Brock Purdy, the rising star quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has made headlines by downplaying the concept of “freedom” for a quarterback in the NFL. Despite his meteoric rise from Mr. Irrelevant to a Pro Bowl quarterback, Purdy is clear about his role within Kyle Shanahan’s highly regarded offensive system.
Entering his third NFL season and second as the 49ers’ starter, Purdy acknowledges his evolving understanding of Shanahan’s schemes. He emphasized that while he has some leeway to adjust plays, he remains committed to learning from the seasoned coach’s expertise.
“When people say freedom, I think a lot of people think of a quarterback walking up and just completely changing the play and doing his own thing out there,” Purdy shared on “Audacy’s The TK Show.”
“Kyle schemes up things really, really well. He’s one of the best play-callers in the league. So for me, I’m still looking at it like I’m learning from this guy,” Purdy said.
It’s all about teamwork
The Niners’ signal-caller explained that although he has the freedom to make last-minute changes based on what he sees on the field, this autonomy is not about overriding the coach’s decisions but enhancing them.
“There are certain times and situations where we get looks that I’ve seen multiple times within the pass protections… I think the next level is to feel comfortable enough to be able to change protection or to be able to give a receiver a look and give them a route that I see.”
Purdy’s balanced approach between trust and autonomy has paid off. He is coming off an MVP-caliber 2023 season where he led the league in passer rating (113.0), yards per attempt (9.6), and QBR (72.6), guiding the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
I have to be able to explain any changes: Purdy
Reflecting on his performance, Purdy noted that he only made a handful of changes to Shanahan’s play calls last season but emphasized the importance of making the right decisions on the field.
“I have to be able to come back off the sideline and tell him why I did that. That’s just having a good understanding of football,” Purdy explained. His humility and willingness to learn have not gone unnoticed, with teammates praising his command of the offense during training camp this summer.
As Purdy continues to earn respect across the league and within his team, his measured approach to leadership and play-calling signals a bright future. His ability to balance freedom and structure could be key to the 49ers’ success in the upcoming season.
