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This week, George Kittle said the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback job is Brock Purdy's to lose.
"He's fantastic," Kittle said of Purdy during a conversation with Bleacher Report. "Our offense was operating at the highest it's probably been since 2019. So, in my opinion, it's Brock's job to lose."
That doesn't mean the star tight end believes the job should be handed to the 23-year-old signal caller. The 49ers have another quarterback they believe in, Trey Lance. Acquiring him wasn't cheap. The team had to give up a lot of draft capital to put itself in a position to get Lance.
"I'm not going to say if [Purdy] would have stayed in the entire [NFC Championship Game against the Eagles] that I'm going to guarantee a victory," Kittle told Rich Eisen this week. "I'm confident in my team that we would have won the game. It's not how it happened. It is what it is, and I'll live with that. It is whatever it is. … But I think it's hard just to say, 'Hey, Brock, thank you for the eight games, your 1,300 yards, your three interceptions, and winning eight straight games.' I think it's definitely like a 1A, 1B thing. I think you have to do the competition because they're still both young quarterbacks."
Purdy will miss about six months after undergoing ligament surgery in his right elbow on February 22, so it isn't likely going to be a true quarterback competition between Purdy and Lance. Of course, that will allow Lance the opportunity to prove he can return to the starting lineup.
"I still think, well, Trey's going to get all the OTA's reps, right?" Kittle continued. "He's going to get all the spring reps because Brock won't get them. And when we get to training camp, depending where Brock is, like, you don't know if he's going to be ready to go day one in training camp. I hope he is. If not, though, it needs to be a little bit of a competition there. But if you're starting tomorrow, it's hard to say you're going to bench Brock Purdy after what he did this whole season, and that's nothing against Trey.
"Trey hasn't had a fair shot by any means, right? He played one game in 2021 against the Houston Texans, and he played at a high enough level for us to win the game. And he got one start against the Bears in a monsoon that wasn't even a football game. People forget that. There was one quarter of light rain, and after that you couldn't throw the football. And in the second game (this season) he got hurt, right? So he hasn't really gotten a fair shot, and that's kind of what football is. You just have to make the most of your opportunities."
Lance entered Week 1 as the 49ers' starting quarterback. Nearly five quarters into the season, he suffered an ankle injury and was done for the year. Lance expects to be full-go by organized team activities (OTAs) in May, making him the healthiest quarterback under contract. Jimmy Garoppolo and Josh Johnson are scheduled to hit free agency.
"Stuff happens, injuries happen," Kittle added. "But I know, Trey, the type of person he is and the work that I've seen him put in, that he's hungry, and all he wants to do is go out there and show why we drafted him at number three. That's all he wants to do, and he has the ability to do that. So we're all rooting for Trey. We want Trey to come out there and get all these reps and to be a great quarterback. So it's going to be a fun competition."
49ers' Brock Purdy lost bet to George Kittle, showed up to presser wearing this
By David Bonilla
Sep 14
Iowa football beat Iowa State 20-13 this past weekend. That's why Brock Purdy showed up to his Thursday press conference wearing some unexpected headgear. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback lost a bet to his tight end, George Kittle.
Brock Purdy entering press conference room by paying off bet with George Kittle for Iowa's win over Iowa State. 😂 pic.twitter.com/k915iIKSHa— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 14,
One reason why Deebo Samuel and the 49ers love Brock Purdy
By David Bonilla
Sep 19
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy wasn't perfect on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, yet the team was talented and disciplined enough to beat its division rivals 30-23.
Purdy had arguably his worst game as a starter. The second-year quarterback earned an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 65.1, his lowest regular-season mark since Week 13 of 2022. He finished the game 17-of-25 for 206 yards and a passer rating of 93.1, a new regular-season career-low as a starter. The stat line might have been better had Purdy connected on a few passes to open receivers that were overthrown.
After the game, when asked about the offense's shortcomings against the Rams, Purdy
Why Steve Young believes NFL QBs are jealous of 49ers' Brock Purdy
By David Bonilla
Sep 21
Brock Purdy is a lucky NFL quarterback. At least, that is what San Francisco 49ers icon Steve Young believes. The Hall of Fame quarterback isn't talking about Purdy's rise from Mr. Irrelevant, the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He's talking about the situation that Purdy fell into after the Niners selected him.
Purdy entered his rookie season as the third quarterback on the 49ers' depth chart. Injuries forced him into the starting lineup by Week 13, and the then-rookie helped guide San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game.
The 49ers own one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. They are genuine Super Bowl contenders, which means Purdy isn't going to be called upon to carry the offense so long as he can play efficient football.
"In the
Why Alex Smith continues to be impressed by 49ers QB Brock Purdy
By David Bonilla
Sep 21
The San Francisco 49ers have been impressive through their first two games of the season. Quarterback Brock Purdy continues to win. His regular-season win streak could extend to eight games on Thursday night, with the Niners hosting the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium.
One former player who remains impressed by the 49ers' second-year quarterback is Alex Smith. Smith addressed those who question whether Purdy, the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is for real and if the young quarterback can "take this team the distance."
"He doesn't look like Josh Allen or Justin Herbert, the guys that we want to label these premier quarterbacks in the NFL, but he's built, and it's a perfect place to be because he's an amazing facilitator of this offense," Smith said on