QB Brock Purdy Press Conference

QB Brock Purdy

Press Conference – November 21, 2023

San Francisco 49ers

I believe this is the first time you’ve faced an opponent three times. So, having prepared for them twice already, albeit last year, does it make this week a little bit easier?

“I don’t think so. Obviously, it’s a new year. The situation of this game’s a little different. The personnel is a little different. They have guys that we haven’t faced, so there’s all that in play. So, I think it’s different for sure. And so, that’s how I’m looking at it, and I think that’s really the reality of it. They’re a good team. We’re not going in thinking, ‘oh, we beat these guys however many times before.’ It isn’t like that. This is a new game, new team, and that’s how we’re looking at it.”

How would you describe your confidence in WR Brandon Aiyuk?

“Yeah, I have all the confidence in the world in B.A. You watch the film, the separation that he creates, you get the ball in his hands, obviously the second gear that he has to pull away from DBs or whoever’s on the field. He does it all. And I think he’s just one of the most underrated receivers I think in the NFL. We have so many playmakers, like [TE George] Kittle, [RB Christian] McCaffrey, [WR] Deebo [Samuel], but B.A. and what he’s done in his production as a receiver, he’s got it. And so, I have all the confidence in the world in him and he’s always where he needs to be and as a quarterback that’s all you could ask for.”

He was just saying that he feels like you have a really good feel for how he’s going to run every route. How do you get to that place with a receiver and how did you make it work with him specifically?

“I know people say this all the time, but it’s just reps on reps. Practice. It started out I think in camp for us when I got back it was just studying how B.A. runs, how he breaks in and out of breaks. He is different from Deebo, he is different from George. And so, sort of just taking note of that. And then B.A.’s just got length, man, he’s got range. And so, I know where he can get to and where I shouldn’t throw the ball and where he’s not going to be. And then obviously the games and stuff and the experience that we had last year together, we’ve built on that, I feel like. But, throwing with anticipation is huge for me. And so, he understands that. And when I let the ball go he gets to where he needs to be and we’ve made it happen.”

When you say studying how he runs, what do you mean exactly by that?

“Yeah, like certain breaks. There’s receivers that run up and chop, chop and then break out, so it may take another hitch or so. With B.A., I feel like he can cut on a dime and get in and out of things pretty quickly. And then just his speed, his explosion off the line gets DBs to push back and that makes it easier to create separation. And as a quarterback, I can sort of see where he is going to be. It makes it easier for me. So, those are the little things as a quarterback what you look and study for on film.”

At what point in your recovery did you feel like you could throw a 50-yard pass in the air right where you wanted to?

“I’d probably say a couple weeks before camp started. There were times where I was ripping it around 50 yards to where I wanted it to be. To do it consistently, I feel like that was during camp. I was still trying to get to that point, build up that arm strength and everything and sort of work out the fatigue kind of thing. It’s been a work in progress starting back to camp, but I feel like once the season hit I was able to do it.”

Does it feel stronger now than last year and then did the Bye Week really refresh it too?

“Yeah. I do feel like just my pre and post routine of throwing has allowed my arm to get stronger just in general. Obviously, after the surgery it was recovered, but just my habits and stuff of what I’ve done in the NFL compared to college, it’s a night and day difference and I feel like it has helped my arm get stronger. Then obviously with the Bye Week too, that was huge, just to let my arm rest up and feel fresh again. So, all of those components added in, I feel like my arm has gotten stronger.”

Between series, what do you like to do or what’s an essential part of what you do between series on the sideline?

“You come off and obviously look on the iPad of the pictures that we get, just like any other team, and we’re going over what we think they’re doing and what our plan of attack is. And then sort of just talk to the quarterbacks, [quarterbacks coach Brian] Griese, of what they’re thinking and what they’re seeing in real time, not just on the iPad. Pick their brain a little bit and then sort of just regroup, breathe a little bit. I take breathing pretty seriously. And so, from that moment on, just getting back into the state of mind of going back out and making consistent decisions, the right decisions consistently. So, that’s what I do is try to get my mind right and not try to be so consumed with how the other team is doing or anything. Just what am I doing? What do I have to do on this next drive against the defense?”

When you say you take breathing pretty seriously, do you mean you meditate or have you been coached on that?

“Yeah, here within our team we work with Ian and Dr. Royer. They do a great job with just teaching us how to breathe pretty consistently. And it sort of just helps with our heart rates and being able to be in the present, not getting caught up in what’s going on around us, but being where we’re at. They just sort of teach us how to breathe and have consistent breath. So that helps me.”

Deebo was saying that in the offseason, a lot of people were saying that you guys wanted to really add to deep ball, that was a kind of a priority for you. Why was that important and how do you think it maybe has helped this offense take another step forward?

“Yeah, I think it’s just another component the defense has to be aware about and respect in a sense. You can obviously open up a lot of other things when there’s a threat of going deep. And that’s just what it is. We have a personnel where we can go deep and we have some speed. And so, there’s opportunities when the defense gives the right look for us, and when we have the right play on, let’s let it rip and let’s take a shot, let’s take an opportunity. Even if it’s not a completion, it’s showing them we can stretch the ball down field. So yeah, it’s something that we’ve obviously looked at on film and be like we can do it. We have the personnel to do it. Let’s take it serious and give it a go. It’s something that we looked at in the off season and I mean, we’ve always had a plan every game dating back to last year. It’s always been a thing. So, we’ve just got to be aggressive and take the right shots at the right time.”

You mentioned opening things up. Are you seeing that, especially here recently since you started to hit those fairly consistently?

“Yeah, I think our offense has always done a good job within the short, the quick game, the intermediate game. But to be able to hit some deep balls, yeah, I think it definitely does put in the back of the minds of DBs like, man, they can go deep and we’ve got to respect it. And then it has opened up some things that I think we’ve seen the last couple games. The intermediate game looking pretty good just in terms of the defense respecting our deep ball. So, I think it’s real.”

The last Seahawks game was very early in your starting career. What was the atmosphere like and how has it helped you prepare this week? Because that stadium can be so tough to play in.

“It’s a great environment, hostile environment, and so it’s just more about being on top of your details, the pre-snap operation, speaking clearly in the huddle breaking the huddle on time, making sure we’re all on the right page with the snap points and all that stuff. So, it’s crucial, especially when you’re in that kind of environment. There’s a lot of easy ways to get distracted and that crowd is obviously going to do what they can to try to get us offbeat. And so, yeah, it’s one of those games where every single play matters. Everybody has to be paying attention to detail because if not you’ll slip up and it won’t be pretty.”

Last year in Seattle, what throws and/or plays could you not do just due to your injury? I know you said you told head coach Kyle Shanahan there were certain things you just couldn’t do. I guess, what plays were kind of off the table for you?

“Anything that just made me really coil up and absolutely rip it. I feel like the quick game, the intermediate, all that kind of stuff I was able to do, but to really launch a ball or to roll left was sort of tough and throwing on the run going to my left just the way I positioned my body and then it tweaking on that rib. So, that was something that we sort of accounted for. But, outside of that I felt pretty good with the adrenaline of the game and was able to make it happen.”