Brock Purdy wasn’t expected to see action during his rookie year. Being the last selection of the 2022 draft, he found himself way down the San Francisco 49ers’ roster ladder.
Trey Lance, selected third overall in the 2021 draft, along with Jimmy Garoppolo, obtained by the 49ers through a 2018 second-round selection, started the season before Purdy. However, Lance suffered an ankle injury in Week 2.
It was then that Purdy felt certain his chance would arrive before long.
“I won’t sugarcoat it. Throughout camp and everything happening, including various competitions, Trey stood out,” Purdy explained on the Built 4 More podcast. “But at the same time, both Nate Sudfeld and I were also vying for positions. Knowing that I had the ability to throw accurately and compete against players who I used to watch when I was younger—both during practices and pre-season matches—gave me quite a bit of confidence. It made me think ‘Yes, I’m capable of doing this.’ However, there’s still uncertainty since ahead of us we have experienced quarterbacks like Trey Lance followed by Jimmy Garoppolo.”
“After Jimmy took over as the starter, I thought to myself, ‘This year could be my chance for some playtime, you know? But honestly, I’m not sure exactly when it will happen.’”
Garoppolo broke his foot during Week 13, after which Purdy guided the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. Since then, the position has belonged to Purdy.
Throughout my entire narrative, I have simply been ignored. not good enough Purdy stated on the podcast, as reported by David Bonilla from 49erswebzone.com, “Deep down, I felt confident that I could perform and compete at this level, repeatedly proving myself time after time.” He added, “This was evident during my high school days when I eventually secured a starting position and led our team to the state championship. However, despite these accomplishments, I received recruitment offers quite late."
"Out of nowhere, my final offer came late, and it turned out to be from Iowa State University where I joined as the third-string player. Considered insignificant, I managed to rise up ranks midway through the season when I took over as the starting player and stayed in that position for another four years. Eventually, during the draft, they picked me last. Despite everyone saying I wouldn’t make it, internally, throughout everything, I always believed: ‘Wait till I have a chance to prove myself.’”
Purdy refrained from discussing his contract status during the podcast. He has the option of extending his deal.