QB Brock Purdy Press Conference

QB Brock Purdy

Press Conference – December 28, 2023

San Francisco 49ers

How’s your health from the shoulder stingers and any residual effects and concerns?

“No, it’s been good. Just got a lot of treatment done on it and everything. Sort of just worked out the soreness within the whole shoulder area, trap area, but it feels good. I’ll be good for this game.”

After you watched the film of the Ravens, do you feel like you guys have the answers to some of the defensive wrinkles that they showed in that game?

“I feel like our game plan was good just in terms of what we wanted to get done. It was just the execution part of it that I feel like I didn’t do a good enough job. I think our mindset and everything going into it was good, but I fell short in terms of making it happen. So when we watched the film and stuff, our plays were there, there was plays to be made there. We felt good getting through the film and going, man, we were right there and we had everything I feel like dialed up pretty good. I just didn’t execute well. So yeah, if we see them again down the road, obviously we’d be excited to play them and all that, but we’re just taking it one day at a time and we’ll see how it all goes.”

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the only interception that was a bad decision was the first one. What should you have done differently on that one?

“Yeah, that drive we had two really explosive plays, the third down and then the next play after that to [TE] George [Kittle] again. So it’s like the emotion, everything’s built up, we’re feeling good and then we call this play with what wasn’t the right coverage. So for myself, it’s like, ‘all right, dude, progress and check it down.’ In the moment for myself, I was aggressive. I was like, ‘all right, just had two big plays, I’m trying to fit this one in.’ Which obviously looking back on it was not the right decision, wasn’t the smart play as a quarterback. That’s something that I have to grow in, in terms of you make some big plays and stuff, but every play has a life of its own. Now whatever play is next, you’ve got to play the play the right way and not just feed off the emotion and everything that you felt from the previous plays. So, that’s something that I had to learn the hard way.”

How do you find the balance of still playing aggressively, ripping it down the field, but then also making good decisions?

“The games that I’ve played in there’s a fine line of obviously ripping something that’s a tight window or tight contested, but at the same time being smart with the ball in the situation of wherever the game is at. So for myself, I’ve played in enough games where I think I understand when and where I can be aggressive, and take a chance, take a shot, and when I should progress, check it down, throw it away, those kinds of things. Like I said, it’s a situational kind of thing, and football is a game of situations. So that’s where I have to grow and continue to bank on experiences that I’ve gone through. But at the same time, being a quarterback in the NFL, you’ve got to be able to take some chances and some risks and some windows at the right time. That’s what I’m learning right now.”

You hadn’t had a stinger prior to Arizona, but the fact that you’ve had one in consecutive weeks, even though you’ve felt right, has it been explained to you that maybe there were still kind of lingering things that predisposed you to having one against the Ravens?

“No one really said anything to me. I didn’t really know it was a thing until I got it against the Ravens again. It sort of got explained, I guess the nerve or whatever is a little bit more susceptible to sort of stinging again. But with treatment and some time and recovery and stuff, you can obviously get it to go down and be good to go. Everyone’s different is what I’ve heard. So for me, I was fine the whole game and then that one sack he just got me right. I landed on it just right for it to go off, but my feeling came back and everything. So, it’s just I guess part of the game.”

In what ways is your approach or preparation a little different this week after a week like you didn’t execute as well as you wanted to do?

“My process, my routine and everything is going to be the same, like I’ve done all year. It just comes down to the moment, getting behind the center, going through my reads in the moment, in the heat of battle, being smart with the ball, doing what we’re trying to do on offense and what the coaches are asking of me. Obviously, it’s be smart. But in terms of my process and everything, I’m going to be the same guy that I’ve been all year in terms of how I get ready for a game. It’s just going to be in the heat of battle, making the right decisions and setting up our offense and our team to have success in the right way.”

Things have gone your way early in your career. Was this Ravens game a learning experience in the sense of what it feels like when everything that could go wrong does go wrong and how to respond?

“Yeah, it’s huge for me. The whole season building up to what they’re saying is a huge game on Christmas, Monday Night Football and all that. It was a big game. So for me, it’s a great learning experience just in terms of not buying into what’s going on around and what’s being said. Instead, executing in the moment, making the right reads, being consistent, protecting the ball, all those things. It’s such a good learning experience. It’s not to say I’m going to be perfect moving forward, it’s football, you’re not perfect. But for me, I think it was huge just in terms of being a quarterback in this league. When things are going well, people can say some great things and it’s easy to buy into it a little bit. But you’ve got to put your head down, go to work, have that chip on your shoulder still and still prove to yourself that you’ve got to continue to show your teammates that you’re the guy week in and week out. So definitely something for me to learn from.”

With the Commanders, what stands out when you watch the film on them?

“Yeah, I think it starts with the two boys up front, [Washington Commanders DT Jonathan Allen] 93 and [Washington Commanders DT Daron Payne] 94. I feel like they’re very disruptive. They’ve been disruptive really their whole careers and stuff. So for us, we respect them a lot. Then just their coverages behind it and everything, the boys in the secondary, they’re sound in what they do. For us, it’s being smart with the ball, being on the right side of the field with our reads and going through my progressions and being efficient. I feel like they’ve done a good job of making some quarterbacks have to be efficient and take the shots when the opportunity presents itself. I think overall they’re a solid squad and sound in what they do. So for us, we can’t get greedy or anything. For me, I have to go through my reads and stay disciplined more than anything.”

Kyle said yesterday that he felt like the most valuable experience for you the other night was continuing to compete after the interceptions. Can you take us into those moments of what you were thinking of how you flush and how you kind of move on to continue to compete in those moments and maybe how can it help you going forward?

“The game and the situation, it sort of just happened really quick. They went up quick and in the second half, third quarter, they’re up multiple scores. So then it sort of feels like, ‘all right, we have to make a play. At the same time we’ve got all these turnovers, so don’t turn the ball over.’ So just mentally it was a good experience to understand like, you have to play one play at a time. Even if we’re down multiple scores, you still have a whole second half to play. You have to still think clearly in terms of what we’re trying to do with each play, not just try to get back into the game with one or two plays with explosives. It’s being smart. It’s taking a five-yard out route or check down and getting a first down and managing those situations and playing quarterback still to get your team back in the lead by being an efficient quarterback. So, those are all things I had to learn. Towards the end, I feel like I was searching for those big plays to get back in the game rather than playing the position. Watching the film was tough, but it was good for me. I had to learn it and I’m glad it happened now.”

Some of your teammates, especially DL Nick Bosa spoke out in support of you after the game. What does that mean to you and how does that help you approach this week?

“It’s huge to hear guys have my back and all that, which is great. We understand, I think, the big picture of what we’re trying to do, where we’re at. So obviously to have a bad game like that, it sucks and you don’t want that to ever happen. But they’re mature and they get it. For me, I appreciate them for understanding the quarterback position and how tough it can be, but also the reality of where we’re at. We’re still number one seed. We’ve gotten here for a reason, not just by chance. So, to hear them say those cool things, it means a lot to me. But we’re trying to win this week and take it one day at a time. We’ll get to where we need to be by just being in the present.”

That was your first four interception game in your life. Is it fair to say that you weren’t completely scared of throwing yet another pick and you were still searching for big plays? It seems like there was a push-pull there.

“Yeah, it’s just not being in the right state of mind as a quarterback. Having the aggressive trigger to make the throw, the big play, but also shoot, dude, you don’t want to turn the ball over again. It’s just a sucky state of mind to be in. That’s the learning experience of going back and just taking it and saying every play has a life of its own. You have to take it one play at a time and not try to win the game by a couple big plays. When I’m thinking like that, I just wasn’t in the right state of mind towards the end when we’re trying to get back into it. That’s the learning experience.”