The San Francisco 49ers came as close to a Super Bowl title as a team can without actually raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy last season. The extended the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime in the championship game but ultimately fell short of their goal. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and his team are intent on getting yet another chance to play for the title, and quarterback Brock Purdy's performance will have a huge impact on the team.
With 49ers training camp well underway, it's fair to say the quarterback's early performance has not been ideal. Purdy has had an issue with interceptions at this point, and while that's not a good situation, neither the quarterback nor the head coach is going to panic at this point in the summer.
Purdy pointed out that a lot of experimentation goes on in training camp, and he was not going to worry if the results were somewhat shaky in practice.
Shanahan explained that Purdy has not had issues with interceptions in his career. “I know, always, stats are made a big deal in practice and I know that’ll stick out, too,” Shanahan said. “And we never want a lot of picks in practice, regardless of who it is, but Brock’s never really had an interception problem. He’s protected the ball pretty well in this league for his two years. He also isn’t scared to let it rip, too.”
Purdy has been quite dependable for the 49ers
Purdy was selected by the 49ers in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Iowa State quarterback became a starter late that season, and he earned the job on a full-time basis for the 2023 season.
He did an excellent job, connecting on 308 of 444 passes for 4,280 yards with 31 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He led the NFL with an average of 9.6 yards per pass attempt.
Purdy has been a solid addition to the San Francisco offense over the past two seasons, but he does not have to carry the Niners on his shoulders. He has plenty of help from running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk as well as tight end George Kittle.
McCaffrey is considered the best running back in the NFL. He led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards on 272 carries last season and scored 14 TDs on the ground. He is also an outstanding receiver, with 67 catches for 564 yards and 7 more touchdowns.
Samuel battled injuries last year and was held to 60-892-7 last year, but he could easily exceed 1,000 receiving yards in 2024 if he can stay healthy. Aiyuk has asked for a trade because he is unhappy with his contract situation. Kittle caught 65-1,020-6 last year and is one of the best tight ends in the league.
Brock Purdy may have thrown some interceptions early in training camp, but there is confidence that he can put together another solid season with his highly talented teammates.
Follow Us
Subscribe