The San Francisco 49ers had a rough 6-11 season this year, but just because they’re not in the playoffs this year doesn’t deter the ultimate goal of winning a championship in the near future. However, the lack of success should not be put on quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy played in 15 of 17 games, and while he did have a step back in numbers this season, his stats were not all that far off from last year when the 49ers made it to the Super Bowl.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has full confidence that Purdy is the guy to lead San Francisco back to glory and wants him to be the quarterback to do just that.
49ers Can Win It All With Brock Purdy Under Center
Purdy has had the giant shadow of being named Mr. Irrelevant when he was picked last in the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. And since his rookie season, he’s been thrust into the starting lineup due to injuries to other quarterbacks.
Purdy has been nothing but successful. As a rookie, he was 5-0 as a starter, which extended to 10 in a row in his first 10 career starts. He has gone on to a 23-13 record. Last season, Purdy also led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, but San Francisco ultimately lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.
Yet, even with early career success to his name, not everyone is a believer in Purdy despite him nearly winning a Super Bowl in his third NFL season. However, don’t count head coach Kyle Shanahan among those non-believers, going as far as saying that he believes Purdy is the guy to get the 49ers their next Lombardi Trophy.
“Brock is the leader of our team. I have loved these three years with Brock,” Shanahan said during media availability this week. “I plan on being with Brock the whole time I’m here. Brock has been a stud and a guy I have a lot of confidence in.
“It starts with what he’s done on the football field these last 2.5 years. We are capable of winning a Super Bowl with him, we just almost did. I know he is capable of getting the Niners to a Super Bowl in the future.”
Think Brock Purdy will lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl next season? 👀
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— theScore (@theScore) January 9, 2025
Shanahan’s confidence in Purdy is reassuring, but it shouldn’t be all that surprising. Many NFL teams would love to have their starting quarterback be 23-13 in just over two years, regardless of where they were drafted or came in as a free agent.
What Happened to Purdy This Year?
Purdy injured his arm on a sack by Brian Branch in the clash against the Detroit Lions in Week 17. He threw for 377 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the game before getting replaced by Joshua Dobbs. Purdy tried throwing on the sidelines but could be seen having a tough time doing so and did not return to the game.
The 25-year-old spoke about his injury, saying, “Doesn’t feel the best… On that sack, I got hit on the back side and basically just my arm was on fire, kind of thing,” Purdy said. “I tried throwing a couple on the sideline and I couldn’t at that point.
“It has nothing to do with tapping out of the game or anything like that. I love my teammates, and I’ll go to the very end for them and this fan base.”
That injury against the Lions would end his season as Purdy sat out the Week 18 game against the Arizona Cardinals. The good news is that there is no long-term injury to Purdy, as it ended up being a bruised right elbow.
Purdy’s goal is to be healthy when San Francisco begins its offseason workouts and starts preparing for an improved 2025 season.