The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2024 season with Super Bowl aspirations, eager to prove they could capitalize on last season's near-championship run. But heading into Week 14, the team has dropped three straight games, sits at 5-7, and teeters on the brink of playoff elimination.
Quarterback Brock Purdy's recent struggles have mirrored the team's downturn. In Sunday's 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Purdy completed 11 of 18 passes for 94 yards and no touchdowns—the first time in his career he failed to reach 100 passing yards in a regular-season start. Once on pace to shatter his single-season franchise record of 4,280 passing yards set in 2023, Purdy is now projected to finish under the 4,000-yard mark.
It has been a disappointing season for Purdy and the 49ers, who have five games left on the schedule and look to finish strong.
Offering encouragement, center Jake Brendel joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Tuesday and shared his thoughts on how the third-year quarterback can bounce back.
"Obviously, quarterbacks have to think a lot, but at the same time, they also have to be players," Brendel said. "I think he has to kind of just take a step back from the mental side of the game and just play ball. I think he really was having a lot of fun last season, and he's still having fun this season, but obviously, you want to win more games."
Brendel emphasized the importance of finding a natural rhythm, not only for Purdy, but for the entire offense.
"The biggest thing that I could say to him is just, once you get to a spot where it almost feels natural, and it just feels like this is what you're supposed to be doing, and you're not thinking too much, you're just playing football, I think that's kind of where we all, as an offense, need to be."
Purdy, Brendel, and the 49ers will look to snap their losing streak when they host the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium on Sunday.
You can listen to Brendel's entire interview below.