The last time quarterback Josh Dobbs suited up at Levi's Stadium was on October 1, 2023, while playing for the Arizona Cardinals. In that game, the San Francisco 49ers dominated with a 35-16 victory. Brock Purdy was nearly perfect, completing all but one of his 21 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown.
Now, Dobbs and Purdy are teammates, and Dobbs is vying for the QB2 spot. His performance on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints has many believing he might be the frontrunner to back up Purdy. It was Dobbs' first time playing at Levi's Stadium since last season's defeat, and he's happy to be wearing red and gold this time around.
"It was just a good day to go out and compete," Dobbs said after the 16-10 preseason victory. "It's always fun stepping on the field and getting into that environment. That's my goal every time I step on the field. I just go out there, take advantage of the opportunities, and let the coaches handle the pecking order and everything else.
"My job is to be ready when my number is called in whatever role that is. When Brock is in there, it is my job to support him or whomever is in the game from the sideline. So it was fun to be out there, in Levi's Stadium, wearing the right color jersey this time from my last experience here. It's always good to get a win as well."
Dobbs has never had a supporting cast like he does now and is enjoying the playmaking ability of his new offensive teammates. Even in a supporting role, he's excited about the opportunity to play for a competitive team.
"He's a baller, man," Purdy said of Dobbs. "He makes plays, goes through his reads, and brings energy. He is out there making plays, and guys feed off it. That's football. It's not always going to be pretty, and you drop back, and everything's going to be perfect. You're going to have to make plays off-schedule and bring some juice to the team, and guys feed off that. So, love having him in the room. Like I said, he's pretty electric."
Dobbs appears to be getting more comfortable in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, making plays with both his arm and legs on Sunday. He finished the night 12-of-21 for 133 yards, adding three carries for 25 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
Josh Dobbs is having himself a night. Puts the #49ers up 13-7 over the Saints. #NOvsSF #FTTB
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) August 19, 2024
"I felt comfortable," Dobbs said. "I think it showed in my play just how comfortable I was. It felt good being able to distribute the ball and make plays with my legs when they presented themselves. I thought the young guys around me did a great job of stepping up.
"[WR] Jacob Cowing did a tremendous job with big plays and some short passes obviously some went down the sideline. It was great to have a good cast around me to be able to go out there and play."
When asked if his impressive performance provided a sense of relief as he competes for the QB2 job, Dobbs dismissed that idea. He holds himself to high expectations whenever his number is called—preseason or otherwise.
"I expect to play well when I step on the field, but I also know there are things that I can improve," Dobbs said. "That's always my mindset. I play with a lot of confidence because I know I put in the work, the time, and the effort into my play. Obviously, my expectation is for it to show up wherever the game is and whenever I get my opportunity. So no relief.
"Now, it's 'hey, how can I improve? How can I continue to pour into this team to be the best me that I can be in whatever capacity that is?' So, yeah, no relief. We're still hungry. It's a preseason game. It's good to have a good performance, but we gotta keep this thing moving in the right direction."
