Kurtis Rourke is the newest addition to the San Francisco 49ers quarterback room, joining Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, and Tanner Mordecai. His selection shouldn't come as a surprise to 49ers fans. The team typically carries four quarterbacks into the offseason program and had only three on the roster heading into the draft.
For Rourke, it feels like a perfect fit.
"I love the situation," Rourke told reporters shortly after being drafted. "I mean, the offense is so dynamic. I think it has a lot of similarities to last year in Indiana, in the way they move the ball and the different types of ways to attack the defenses.
"And obviously, Coach (Kyle) Shanahan has developed a great offense, and I'm excited to be a part of it."
One of the bigger concerns surrounding Rourke was the ACL surgery he underwent in January — an injury he played through during the 2024 season while still throwing for 3,042 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
When asked about his recovery, Rourke sounded optimistic.
"I'm in a really good spot," he said. "Really excited about where I am, and I'm looking forward to getting on the plan of the 49ers and their medical staff, and starting to figure out what the future looks like."
While Rourke didn't commit to being available this season, he made it clear he's eager to get back on the field.
"My mindset has always been to get back as soon as I can, and as soon as I can do anything, then I'm gonna do it," Rourke explained. "That's the way I was in the first time around, and that's the mindset I have this time. So, definitely want to be a part of the 49ers' plan, but I'm going to be pushing for as early as possible."
Rourke noted that playing through the injury last year—wearing a brace on his leg—forced him to stay in the pocket more than he preferred. However, it helped him grow as a passer by improving his ability to find open targets.
"But if I needed to make a play or run to get a first down, I was going to do that anyways," Rourke added. "The pain wasn't crazy. It was more discomfort, and so, just something that I had to work through."