QB Brock Purdy Press Conference

QB Brock Purdy

Press Conference – October 24, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

You talked a little bit Sunday. It wasn’t your greatest game. When you review it, is there a theme or things you could point to of like this was what’s going on?

“There were a couple things and I think more than anything it’s just a mindset of going out and when you get an opportunity, defense does their job, you’ve got to capitalize on those situations and execute. For me at quarterback it just comes down to being aggressive and making the right throws and being accurate with the ball. That’s really just what it came down to. And so, it’s a four-quarter game of you have to play team football and like I said, when our defense does those kinds of great things and gets stops, you’ve got to capitalize on it, especially against a good team like the Chiefs. And so, I had to learn the hard way but for me, I go and watch the film and I’m real with myself and don’t dwell on it or anything. Got to learn from it, but man, we’ve got another game Sunday for another opportunity and so it’s another shot for me to go and prove to myself that I can grow and get better.”

There was one play where they walked an eighth guy into the box and then they added a ninth guy to the box. In that situation and they’re giving you that kind of a look, do you have the ability to audible to a pass play and go to something different? What are your limitations at the line?

“Usually, we just have an answer built into the play. And so, if we do have like an all-out blitz or something, we usually have an answer of where I should be hitting or where I should be going. And there’s very rare occasions where we walk up to line and we get a look and it’s, ‘Oh shoot, they got us.’ And then I’m supposed to randomly make up an audible. There’s nothing like that. We usually always have an answer for pressures, all-out blitz and things like that. So that’s on me to get to the right guy.”

So much of what you do and had success with it is timing based. When you’re cycling through so many different receivers, what kind of challenge is that to get on the same page timing-wise and then a week like this week when you know there are going to probably be some new faces in there, do you do more and stay after practice, anything like that?

“Yeah, I mean it’s huge. When you’ve got some young guys that come in and you’re used to throwing to [WR Brandon Aiyuk] B.A., [WR] Deebo [Samuel Sr.], [WR Jauan Jennings] J.J. and just you understand how they move in routes and their landmark and depths and just the timing of a concept and route. And then you get new guys coming in that you haven’t gotten many reps with, it is tough. And so I think this week at practice, throwing a [WR] Jake Cowing, more with [WR] Ricky [Pearsall], [WR] Chris Conley, those guys, it’s been good just to see how they move and they’re getting in and out of their breaks and me being on time and leading them. So those are huge things that you’ve got to build on and rep throughout the week in practice. And so during the game, if you get guys thrown in there randomly, it is tough, but at the same time, you’ve just got to make it happen. And there’s always coaching of, ‘Hey, this is the amount of steps, the depth, the landmark.’ So you can go off those things, but at the same time everybody runs a little bit differently. So, it’s huge for a quarterback and receiver to be on the same page in that regard.”

Do you talk to them about what you like on certain looks if they have multiple ways they can run it? Have you talked to those guys about certain plays you like it this way?

“Yeah. This week at practice it’s been good just getting into certain situations and reps where we’re thinking I’m going to go to this receiver in a certain look and then after practice, running a couple routes or talking to those guys about, ‘Hey, this is what I’m expecting and how are you seeing it as a receiver?’ And we just get on the same page and I think that’s huge. So like I said, we’ve got some young guys that are stepping into those roles and for me it’s huge understanding how they think and then vice versa. So, it’s very vital.”

As someone who did step into a role and was kind of thrown into a role like that, do you think that you’re kind of uniquely qualified to talk to them about that and help them navigate all of that?

“For sure. I think just the two-and-a-half years of playing so far in this system, understanding my timing, my rhythm within this offense with new guys coming in, I can definitely tell them like, ‘Hey, this is what B.A. has done really well, J.J., Deebo and this is where I’m expecting you guys to be.’ So, they’re all ears. They listen real well. They’re willing to be coached, which is great. And more than anything, we just want to win. So, we’ve got the right core group of guys, young guys coming in that are willing to do what it takes and listen. So that’s been the blessing with the guys that I’m working with.”

How is your process of determining where to throw the ball different against man coverage as opposed to zone coverage?

“I would just say man coverage, it depends. Are they doubling a guy? Are they not? What’s the leverage? And then what’s our matchup? Is it a linebacker on a tight end or safety on a tight end? There’s a lot of things that go into that and what’s my best matchup in this situation? Obviously, there’s a lot of other things that come into factor with that, with safety leverage and all that kind of stuff, but at the end of the day, man coverage is trying to find your best matchup and a guy that can create separation versus zone coverage you’re just trying to be on time and throw to spots and windows. So, I feel like that’s like the biggest difference.”

You seem like a guy that’s pretty big on his faith. Having had a tough game against Kansas City last week and needing to kind of recalibrate, refocus, having to go up against the Cowboys, but kind of in the same scenario or situation as you just touched on with some of the younger guys as targets, how have you kind of relied on your faith to kind of get your mind back where it needs to be going into this one before the Bye week?

“Yeah, it’s huge. Obviously, I know who I am and what my foundation’s built on. So for me, you go through some tough games and games that you really want to win for the guys that you’re playing with, the fan base, everything, you take pride in that in the position that you’re playing. But at the same time, it’s all, for me I look at it as this is all about growth and putting my faith in God and understanding that this whole thing is a process. I’m not going to get the result right now and that I’ve got to work for it and grow. And maybe he’s preparing me and our team for something down the road. And so, that’s how I’m looking at it, that’s the hope that I have. But more than anything, that also pushes me to be on top of my stuff today and push the guys around me, bring up the young guys and continue to chip away every day at our process. We lost last week, we’re not where we want to be, but we understand that we have what it takes and we’ve just go to keep going one day at a time and that’s the faith that I have.”

A popular topic on sports talk radio is, depending on how you play, will you get a $43 million a year extension or 58 or 62 or whatever? It all sounds pretty good, but does that even get into the back of your mind during the season?

“No. For me, I had to play better against the Chiefs last week. And for me, I’m like, ‘Dude, I’ve got to be better for my team right now, for the Dallas Cowboys coming up.’ I’m always trying to find an edge to myself in my game, not thinking about what next year holds. We’re trying to win this Sunday and trying to get our record to get going up. And that’s where my mindset is at. I’m focused on my team, on this year and that’s final. That’s it.”

Do you have a relationship with Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott where you would text him after he signed a $60 million a year deal or are your interactions limited to just the two times you’ve faced off?

“Yeah, just playing the game is all I’ve done interaction-wise and seeing him after. That’s it.”

Let me ask it this way. Because you’ve now faced the Cowboys in the regular season and playoffs, so you kind of have a sense of what this rivalry is and everything. Going into those games, did people hit you up to try to fill you in on 49ers-Cowboys? Did former NFL QB Steve Young or somebody try to get you fired up to beat the Cowboys?

“It was more so just our team meetings and stuff. [Head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] showed some games from like the nineties and the playoff game that they had played in 2021 and just what it meant going into our playoff game in 2022. So that sort of filled me in on, oh man, there’s a lot of history with these two organizations. And I remember growing up just watching some games with them and it just meant so much every time they played and faced off. So for me, it was the same thing as last year. And then even for this game, Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys as a 49er, it’s really special. And so, we all take pride in that and are thankful to be able to play in this game. And yeah, it’s a rivalry, so there’s nothing better than that.”

On the ball to Conley against Kansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie, one-on-one. It looked like you had TE George Kittle open on the out to a flat. It seems like your natural thing is to be aggressive. Do you have to fight aggressiveness, attacking downfield with conservative check it down? How do you balance that?

“I think it’s situational football. What’s the matchup? Where are we at in the game? Trying to move the chains, are we trying to get a chunk here on a matchup that we like? It’s handling all those kinds of things. And for me, I like the press matchup against McDuffie with Chris. Chris and I have, we’ve hit a lot of plays like that at practice and we just didn’t connect on it. Looking back on it on film, we had George in the flat to maybe move the chains and get us in third-and-manageable. Those are all decisions and factors that you’ve got to watch the film and be like, ‘Alright, how can I be better next time?’ And so for me, I look at it not going I should have done this or that? But looking at it like, alright, the next time I’m in this situation let’s think about it and am I going to be aggressive or am I going to take this checkdown here and manage it a little bit better? So those are the things that I watch on film.”