The 2024 season didn't unfold like the San Francisco 49ers envisioned. They entered Week 1 with Super Bowl aspirations but finished with just six wins, landing in last place in the NFC West. It marked the first time quarterback Brock Purdy had missed the playoffs. While injuries played a significant role in the team's struggles, Purdy believes another factor contributed to the disappointing season—fatigue.
Purdy nearly led the 49ers to the Super Bowl as a rookie, only to have that dream cut short by an injury in the NFC Championship Game. In 2023, the team was determined to redeem itself, pushing all the way to the Super Bowl.
However, years of deep playoff runs had taken a toll, and by 2024, that wear and tear may have finally caught up with them.
"And then last year, man, guys were tired," Purdy admitted on the Built 4 More podcast. "That season is no joke, and when you go from July of training and everything, all the way to the end of February, and then you really get five weeks off or so [until] you've got to report back, and then you're going again, guys are tired. They're still beat up, their bodies."
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Even at just 25 years old, Purdy himself has felt the grind of the long NFL season. He can only imagine what it's like for the team's older veteran players.
"For these guys that are getting older, it's not easy," Purdy said. "And then last year, we just had a lot of things go crazy, like with injuries and whatnot."
Through those challenges, Purdy has gained a new perspective. The adversity of last season reinforced that nothing can be taken for granted. That has helped shape his mindset heading into the 2025 season. At the same time, he remains grounded in his beliefs, using them as motivation to keep pushing forward.
"For me, going into this year, it's like, how can I just continue to press that gas pedal, not only just for my team, but for myself?" Purdy said. "Be hard on myself, just with the potential that I have, watching film and all those things, but also holding everything loosely, as a faithful man, knowing that I can't control everything in my life to go perfectly. This is God's will, not mine."
You can listen to Purdy's entire interview below.