San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been one of the lowest-paid starters in the NFL for three seasons now. Finally eligible for a contract extension this offseason, many are expecting him to become one of the highest paid NFL players. Some aren’t as convinced, though, following a recent performance.
Purdy’s success has often been credited to the 49ers’ system and the talent around him. However, All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams and star running back Christian McCaffrey have missed a significant portion of the season. Likewise, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk have missed significant time. Purdy has played well despite the absences, but his rough showing in Week 15 has now led some in the NFL to question if he’s worth one of the biggest contracts in football.
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- Brock Purdy stats (ESPN): 3,174 passing yards, 15-9 TD=INT, 65% completion rate, 8.4 yards per attempt, 94.3 QB rating, 65.3 ESPN QBR, 26 sacks taken
One NFL executive told Mike Sando of The Athletic that while he was on board with Purdy receiving a lucrative contract extension, the performance from the 49ers’ quarterback on Thursday Night Football raised new doubts.
“The new contract for Purdy (in the offseason) was a slam dunk for me until Thursday night. What I saw was a guy who was so limited physically that, I’m not saying I don’t want him, it’s just the first time I’ve said, ‘Hmmm, he can’t make those throws.”
Anonymous NFL executive on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy
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- Brock Purdy contract (Spotrac): $1.004 million cap hit in 2024, $1.1 million base salary in 2025, NFL free agent in 2026
Purdy didn’t play well in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, finishing with season-lows in quarterback rating (45.4) completion rate (45.2 percent) and yards per attempt (4.6). In a game filled with punts and affected by constant rain, Pro Football Focus charted Purdy 1-for-8 with an interception on throws 20-plus yards downfield.
While it was a poor performance by Purdy and he’s historically struggled in tough weather conditions, the 49ers don’t have any other options. Furthermore, head coach Kyle Shanahan is known for being very picky with his quarterbacks and willing to burn through them. Purdy has earned the complete trust of his head coach and with Shanahan effectively running football operations, Purdy will get a contract extension.
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