The 49ers quarterback gave an honest assessment of his play ahead of Week 16.
The San Francisco 49ers are set to take on the Miami Dolphins this weekend, looking to get back in the win column after a disappointing 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Thursday.
The loss dropped the 49ers to 6-8 on the season, likely ending their season as their slim playoff hopes simmered down even more, which would be only the second time since 2018 that the team has not reached the postseason.
It’s been an inconsistent year for San Francisco, as they’ve struggled to close games, while having issues on both sides of the ball, be it red zone play, inconsistencies against the run game, or a handful of other problems.
Perhaps the most controversial player on the team this season has been quarterback Brock Purdy, who has been forced to deal with injuries to key skill position players as he looked to take a step up in Year 3.
As a result, it hasn’t been the year he imagined thus far, with Purdy throwing for 3,174 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions over 13 games, while completing a career-low 65 percent of his passes.
The numbers are still solid, but they haven’t been as strong as Purdy’s first two seasons. How has the quarterback evaluated his growth in Year 3?
“Yeah, I think there’s some plays out there that I’d love to have back and I wish I could’ve been better for my team and for myself,” Purdy acknowledged on Thursday. “But at the same time, I feel like there’s been some growth in my game that has happened and really just I think like leadership-wise with this team and sort of stepping up when the team needs it, sort of just being a guy that they can hear from.
“In the past, I’ve been sort of particular about when I speak and waiting for the right moment, but this year it’s been more than it has. And so, I don’t know, I feel more comfortable in who I am, but also like I think I need to get better and get back to playing at the chip on my shoulder like it was my first two years of every game, every down trying to prove to myself that I’m the guy for this team and I’m capable of doing it. And so, that’s sort of just been the case this year with some moments and I’ve got to learn from that.”
That leadership growth is an important step for Purdy as he looks to be the face of the franchise, but it’s clear the comfortability factor hasn’t quite been at the level he’s expressed over the past two seasons.
Perhaps that’s due to the fact that he’s dealt with a new core of weapons in 2024, as Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey have missed most of the season. While George Kittle has enjoyed one of his best years to date, he’s also seen increased blocking responsibilities with Trent Williams dealing with an injury.
Deebo Samuel hasn’t had a great season, catching 43 passes for 569 yards and a touchdown, while his rushing efficiency has plummeted to the worst of his career. And the 49ers’ skill position group as a whole has struggled to separate for parts of the year, with Purdy not having as strong of a rapport with the backups as he did with his core group in 2023.
So, there are a number of factors that play into the comfortability aspect of the game, but Purdy hasn’t looked as confident ripping throws that he should this season either, which will be something to monitor going into the offseason, where the 49ers are expected to start contract negotiations with the star, and into next year.
In regards to playing with a chip on his shoulder, Purdy acknowledged that he’s tried to be too perfect at times this year, which has taken away some of the swagger that defined his game back over his first two seasons.
“I think [playing with a chip on my shoulder] has [still been there this year], but there’s been moments where I feel like I was a little bit more concerned and consumed with trying to be perfect rather than, ‘hey man, let’s go out and compete and show my guys my teammates that I love this game and that I’m passionate about it and I can lead them in any situation.’ So, sort of just handling that mentally and getting back to that,” Purdy continued.
The 49ers have much to look at in the offseason as they try and right the ship with what could be a completely different group of core players in 2025. Purdy is at the forefront of the conversation, as he’ll look to regroup and come out stronger next year after an up-and-down season for the offense as a whole.