Brock Purdy: The 49ers’ Quarterback Takes on a New Chapter
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – In early April, the phone of Brock Purdy, the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, rang. Upon answering, he saw Kyle Shanahan’s name on the screen. Purdy had been away from his teammates and coaches for about three months. This offseason was different: he was in the middle of his first contract negotiation. Despite progress between his agent, Kyle Strongin, and the Niners, a deal had not yet been reached. Purdy couldn’t help but wonder when the deal would be finalized and if he should consider skipping the offseason program. Shanahan, 49ers coach since 2017, generally avoids getting involved in contractual matters unless absolutely necessary. However, in this case, he felt that the time away from the team might have sown doubts in Purdy’s mind about his position. Shanahan’s call aimed to assure Purdy that he remained the Niners’ man and that his participation in the offseason program as a leader was important.Shanahan’s words were just what Purdy needed. Although he never seriously considered leaving the team, Shanahan’s words solidified his conviction. “I totally agreed with him,” Purdy said. That conversation was the starting point for an epic offseason for Purdy. In May, he signed a five-year, $265 million contract, the largest increase in NFL history, with $181 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause. Then, he spent the summer improving, focusing on his mobility and throwing the ball faster, while continuing his growth as a leader. In late July, he celebrated the birth of his first daughter, Millie Joleen, with his wife, Jenna. What follows could be the most difficult chapter in Purdy’s history to date. No longer the best bargain in the sport, Purdy is now tied as the seventh highest-paid player in the league and is tasked with leading the 49ers back to the playoffs after an offseason in which they lost nearly 20 players, largely due to preparing to pay him. According to the terms of his extension, Purdy will earn around $2.9 million per week, more than the $2.6 million he earned in total during his first three seasons in the NFL. That’s why, as the 49ers prepare to start the 2025 season after a 6-11 finish last year, all eyes are on Purdy and whether he can elevate his game and lead the team back to the playoffs.“I just wanted to give him clarity,” Shanahan said. “I hope by assuring him of that, it would take a little bit of pressure off… And I just wanted to assure him that [the negotiation] wouldn’t change anything.”
Kyle Shanahan
“You’re talking about a fairy tale; I think he’s the personification of that,” Williams said. “Going from making a few hundred thousand a year to making 50 million a year? He’s the man for this team. He’s the man for this franchise. This is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Trent Williams
Maybe it was nerves, or that he’s still a golf novice, but Purdy was having what he calls an “acceptable” round and was on the 17th hole when Strongin sent him a simple text message in capital letters. “DEAL DONE” it said, with instructions to answer a FaceTime call from the Niners’ general manager, John Lynch.
Relief washed over Purdy as he and Jenna enjoyed a brief moment of celebration before Lynch broke the good news, passing the phone to Shanahan and owner Jed York, who congratulated their newly appointed franchise quarterback.In the recent history of the Niners’ multimillion-dollar contract negotiations, Purdy’s was one of the quickest and least contentious. Recent deals for Williams and Nick Bosa weren’t finalized until days before the season. Last summer, Aiyuk staged a holdout at camp until his deal was resolved. But that doesn’t mean that the negotiation of Purdy’s contract didn’t have its share of obstacles. At the beginning of the process, Strongin showed Purdy and his wife a presentation they planned to present to the Niners’ key decision-makers. It included all the statistics and accolades Purdy had accumulated in his first three seasons. It also presented some player comparisons, offering the raw data on how Purdy compares to some of the league’s other highest-paid quarterbacks, such as Jared Goff of Detroit, Tua Tagovailoa of Miami, and Trevor Lawrence of Jacksonville. All of them had signed deals in recent years worth at least $53 million per year, information that was also included in the presentation. Purdy and his team decided from the start that they would not try to exceed Dak Prescott of Dallas’s $60 million per year, and although they were concerned about the annual figure, they were more concerned about other things.“We had a little moment together of ‘this is pretty special’,” Purdy said. “All the things we’ve been through and being drafted last, the elbow surgery, the Super Bowl, you name it. To be able to get to that moment was great.”
Brock Purdy
While Purdy’s team discussed what figure they would like for an average value, one name kept standing out: Lawrence. On paper, Lawrence represented the opposite of Purdy’s “Mr. Irrelevant” story. Lawrence was highly recruited entering college and was a No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. When Lawrence negotiated his second contract in 2024, he had made the Pro Bowl (2022), but his combined QBR of 50.9 ranked him 23rd among qualified quarterbacks during that three-year period. Still, the Jaguars believed in him, and in June 2024, they signed Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract with $200 million in guarantees, averaging $55 million per year, tied for the second-highest in the league. It’s a deal that was negotiated by MGC Sports, a place that, at the time, employed Strongin. A comparison between Purdy and Lawrence showed that Purdy had more success in his first two and a half seasons, although on a much better roster. Purdy also made the Pro Bowl, compiled a QBR of 70.1 (the second best among all quarterbacks with at least two seasons played since 2021) and the Niners finished with a 27-15 record, including four playoff wins and a Super Bowl appearance with Purdy as the starter. While Purdy and his team were considering the figure they wanted to reach, another curveball was thrown into the mix. Contractually, Purdy was the only top-tier quarterback who needed a lucrative extension this offseason. But in March, the Buffalo Bills gave Josh Allen, the current league MVP, a six-year extension also worth $55 million per season. It was a deal that could have been worth much more given Allen’s achievements.“Everyone talks about what you get paid per year and that’s important to a certain extent, but obviously if you can get guaranteed money, that’s something everyone values a lot,” Purdy said. “We didn’t need to break the market by getting more than 60 and having all these record-breaking things. That wasn’t what we were looking for.”
Brock Purdy
That midpoint for Purdy and the Niners turned into 53 million dollars per season. It was the sweet spot, higher than San Francisco’s initial offer, but lower than where Purdy and company started. Once that was decided, things moved quickly. Through it all, Purdy avoided the outside noise, eliminating social media to focus on his family, his training, and his burgeoning love for golf. Perhaps most importantly, the largest figures will not take effect until 2026, with Purdy’s average annual salary at only 18.98% of the salary cap, placing him 14th among quarterbacks. The goal, according to Purdy, was to find the balance between getting what he deserved and offering some flexibility to the front office to continue building around him as the salary cap increases and other quarterbacks get paid. When it was all over, Purdy learned a lot about the business side, but he was satisfied with how it worked out.“Josh Allen was going into his third contract, and I’m going into my second contract and obviously I look at Trevor and what he did last year with his deal,” Purdy said. “You look at the contracts and compare them, and you’re not disrespecting any [other quarterback] or anything. … You look at all those things and negotiate them and try to meet in the middle somewhere.”
Brock Purdy
With the deal done and perhaps feeling a little lighter, Purdy stood on the tee at the short par-4 18th hole at the Olympic Club. The result? A birdie.“I’ve always heard from the guys in the locker room that, ‘Hey man, once negotiations start, you might hear some things, but that’s just how it works. Stick to who you are. Don’t let it change you and understand that this is all business,” Purdy said. “This is a business, but it’s really good when you have guys who can represent you, handle that, and just allow me to focus on football, my teammates, my family. That’s crucial throughout this whole process.”
Brock Purdy
Entering his fourth season in the NFL, Purdy’s voice has grown each season. Teammates like Juszczyk, tight end George Kittle, and Williams say Purdy never hesitates to let another player know if a mistake is made, in his own way. Early in a recent training camp practice, Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall failed to connect on a pass during a passing drill without defenders. Under normal circumstances, Pearsall would go back to the line and Purdy would move on to the next throw. Instead, Pearsall returned to chat with Purdy about how to do better. It was an example of the precision Purdy demands of himself and expects from his receivers. The duo connected five times for big gains during the team period of that day’s practice. A similar scene unfolded during organized team activities when Jauan Jennings stopped running a route over the middle and Purdy immediately let him know he needed to keep running. Suffice it to say that Purdy has no problem leading the Niners’ group as his voice gets louder and louder.“It simply meant a lot that he called me and made the effort and just conveyed how he felt about me as a player, as a person,” Juszczyk said, whom the 49ers re-signed days later. “I really, really appreciated it. But Brock really is always the same, even with the $53 million-a-year contract and now he has a son. He’s literally the same guy every day. It’s crazy.”
Kyle Juszczyk
Purdy also focused his offseason on more tangible aspects of his game. He spent the summer working in Florida with physical therapist Tom Gormely and participating in throwing sessions with Kittle and other tight ends in Nashville, where Purdy bought a house out of season. One of Purdy’s priorities? Improved mobility. Referring to himself as “more of a rigid quarterback,” Purdy wanted to work on his ability to maneuver in the pocket while also increasing the variety of arm angles from which he can throw on the run. He has also honed his timing in hopes of getting the ball out more often. In 2024, Purdy’s average release time was 2.91 seconds, the sixth slowest in the NFL. It was part of an overall production drop in which Purdy went from leading the league in QBR in 2023 (73.4) and throwing for 31 touchdowns to a QBR of 67.9 (seventh in the NFL) with 20 touchdowns.“He expresses his frustrations and not just, ‘we’ll get it next time’”, said tight end George Kittle. “He says that and then talks to Jauan about it so that the next time we go through that repetition, we’re all on the same page. That kind of vocal leadership is incredible”.
George Kittle
“Understand that his job is to run the offense, play quarterback,” said quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi. “He could have done better in some games in the past. There’s no disrespect in that. I think he’s aware of that and tried to limit some of those mistakes to say, ‘Okay, I can still improve.’”
Mick Lombardi
In an already complete offseason, Purdy and Jenna kept their impending parenthood a secret, so much so that when Jenna’s due date arrived on July 25, few people outside the 49ers building knew for sure why she wasn’t participating in practice. When Purdy woke up that morning, Jenna and the couple’s doula informed him that Millie would arrive that day, which she did, just before 3 p.m. When his schedule allows, Purdy escapes home for quiet moments with his daughter, time he enjoys much more than anything else that has happened this year.“I want him to be the leader he’s always been,” Shanahan said. “There’s nothing worse than asking people to do extra just because they have a contract.”
Kyle Shanahan
Consolidated as the franchise quarterback of the Niners for at least the foreseeable future and Millie’s father forever, Purdy’s status has only grown from where he started as the 262nd overall pick in 2022. He has been a national presenter for Toyota, Alaska Airlines, and Buffalo Wild Wings, and Shanahan has even seen Purdy on a Las Vegas billboard. Despite all that, Shanahan’s belief in Purdy has been boosted by the way he has handled everything while looking ahead to what comes next.“I still can’t describe it, how incredible it is to come home and see that little girl and hug her and have her fall asleep on me,” Purdy said. “There’s nothing better. No gift can compare.”
Brock Purdy
“It’s like, ‘Oh my God, this guy’s gotten a little big when you look around’”, Shanahan said. “But when you hang out with Brock, the way he talks, the way he dresses, the people he interacts with, it’s no different than the first day I met him. … I think that’s one of the things that makes Brock a good quarterback”.
Kyle Shanahan
