The San Francisco 49ers are facing a conundrum with their starting quarterback Brock Purdy. Once seen as a rookie sensation, Purdy’s recent performance has raised doubts about his ability to lead the team to a season worthy of preseason expectations.
While the media was busy crowning him one of the NFL’s greatest stories, not everyone was convinced and the young quarterback must prove himself all over again. In fact, I’m not convinced — but I’ll get to that later.
Selected as the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and given the nickname “Mr. Irrelevant,” Brock Purdy brought a sense of excitement to the 49ers quarterback group and to the NFL. He started off going 5-0 after taking over last season for the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo after Week 13, showcasing his skills and surpassing even the most aggressive expectations for someone drafted so late.
Purdy continued his Cinderella run into the 2023 regular season leading the 49ers to a 5-0 record before the train came off the tracks for him and the team.
Despite Brock Purdy’s struggles, 49ers won’t make a change — for now
Fast forward to Week 9, a week in which the 49ers enjoyed a bye week, and we find Brock Purdy experiencing a major bump in the road. Over the past three games, his team is 0-3 and he’s seen a decline in his numbers as his propensity to give the ball away at key moments of the game increases.
Purdy threw two back-breaking interceptions in a 31-17 loss at home to Cincinnati and now has thrown five interceptions in his past three games. He is missing a key player on offense in receiver Deebo Samuel, but his struggles seem to be far worse and it can’t be blamed on the absence of one player. He’s still got plenty of weapons but doesn’t appear to be making good decisions with the ball like he did during last year’s run and amid this season’s hot start.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan won’t admit the same approach isn’t working but did acknowledge things aren’t working right now. But Purdy’s play has been so inconsistent and harmful to the 49ers’ ability to win games over the past three weeks, questions about his viability as a starter are real and up front.
When asked at a recent press conference if he’d consider making a change at quarterback entering the bye week due to his struggles, Shanahan quickly rebutted the reporter.
“No,” Shanahan said emphatically.
When pressed why, he responded curtly.
“Um, because no one just changes their quarterback for no reason,” Shanahan said.
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Has the league just caught up to the young Brock Purdy?
Purdy’s is a story of a young quarterback facing new challenges as the league catches up with him. The decline in his play, while sometimes hidden by impressive statistics (he threw for 365 yards against a good Bengals defense in Week 8), his decision-making at key moments and ability to limit turnovers ultimately calls into question his ability to lead the stacked 49ers offense.
The toll on Purdy’s well-being is evident. The hits are coming faster and harder. The pocket that was once a safe haven now frequently collapses. These pressures have resulted in throws and questionable decision-making, a stark contrast to the composed presence he initially displayed in the pocket.
But is the quarterback losing confidence?
“Obviously, I want to be better for this team and for this organization,” Purdy said after the Cincinnati loss. “I just need to take care of the ball in crucial parts of the game. That’s the NFL, man. You’re not just going to come out and blow out teams. You have to take care of the football and play good team football.”
Purdy’s teammates haven’t lost confidence in him, saying he’s doing what he should do as a quarterback and a leader in the locker room.
“He took ownership for his mistakes,” Nick Bosa said. “He played awesome I thought, except for a few plays, and I think a lot of people on this team feel the same way.”
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The rest of 2023 will test Purdy’s readiness to lead
Beyond looking at individual statistics, the 49ers losing streak reflects how well Brock Purdy is leading the offense. This role demands not only physical skills but also leadership amidst adversity. In this case, numbers alone don’t tell us everything—quarterbacks must lift their team, inspire confidence and demonstrate resilience, especially when faced with challenges.
As goes the quarterback often goes the team, and it’s no different for the 49ers. The impact of Purdy’s struggles has been felt throughout the offense. What was once a synchronized unit executing plays precisely has now become disjointed at times searching for the rhythm and dynamic they once had under his guidance.
It’s not fair to blame Purdy for the team’s struggles since football is a team sport. However, it highlights how a quarterback’s performance can impact the mindset of the entire team.
Now the 49ers and their coaching staff face a question — how can they adapt their game plan to set Purdy up for success? How can they provide support to help him regain his confidence and composure? Most importantly how can they prevent this losing streak from defining their season?
Brock Purdy was a question mark to many entering the season
I took a lot of heat from my colleagues at Sportsnaut when turning in my season predictions prior to Week 1. I listed San Francisco as the team I thought would be the most disappointing team in the league this year. Yes, I looked foolish as they ran to a 5-0 start, but not knowing how Purdy would perform over a complete season was enough for me to question whether or not the NFL’s best roster could win with a second-year quarterback at the helm.
Before you point to Joe Burrow as an example of an NFL sophomore who can lead his team to a Super Bowl, Purdy is no Burrow. He’s a talented young player early in his development but he wasn’t the top pick overall — he was the last.
This was my reservation with crowning the 49ers in the preseason. Purdy, I believe, has the talent and demeanor to be a winner in the NFL. But he’s young and quarterbacks develop at different rates in the league. There was just enough unknowns for me to question if they could dominate with him at quarterback. This losing streak, and his struggles, prove, to me, my instinct has validity.
There’s still time and Brock Purdy can turn the tide
Despite the slump, there is hope in Purdy’s natural talent and early displays of impressive play. He needs time and support to adjust to the demanding learning curve of the NFL. He needs support from his coaches and teammates to navigate through this phase. The 49ers must come together as a team, making adjustments that capitalize on Purdy’s strengths. Simplifying the playbook could give him some wins and help restore his confidence.
Reversing a three-game losing streak is challenging in the NFL, especially for a rookie quarterback. However, there must be something about Purdy that made him stand out when the 49ers chose him. His journey so far suggests that he knows how to overcome obstacles.
Purdy finds himself in a spot now facing a challenge that can shape both his character and career.
- Brock Purdy stats (2023): 68% completion, 2,023 yards, 12 TD, 5 INT, 105.4 QB rating
The recent stats of Purdy and the struggles of the 49ers are a snapshot of a moment that pushes a young player to grow. As the team seeks to regroup and put an end to their losing streak, all eyes will be on Purdy’s development. This period could well be the test that determines Purdy’s strength and how he reacts, not only for this season but also for his future as part of the 49ers.
In sports adversity often acts as a catalyst for growth and Purdy’s story is still unfolding. The stats might show struggles. They don’t have the final say.
For Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers, finding their way back to winning starts with belief in their system, faith in one another and belief that their quarterback can bounce back stronger. With plenty of games left in the season, it’s time for Purdy to tap into the resilience and determination that brought him into the spotlight in the first place.
It’s time for him to turn his performance around along with his team’s fortunes.