If Brock Purdy had wanted to position himself as one of the league's five highest-paid players, he could have sent a strong message to the San Francisco 49ers by skipping the start of the offseason program last month. But for the 49ers quarterback, that idea was never on the table. Coming off a disappointing six-win season, Purdy was eager to reunite with his teammates and begin the hard work of turning things around. That kind of progress, he knew, couldn't be made from home.
Instead, Purdy and the 49ers agreed to a five-year, $265 million contract extension—a deal finalized a week before the start of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs). While some believe he may have left money on the table by signing early, Purdy prioritized being present for the full offseason program. For him, getting better meant being there.
"I think, for me, being here and getting better at football, I don't think that [missing time] was ever going to be a question for me," Purdy shared Thursday during an interview on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "I wanted to be here, and continue to build off of what we've done the last couple of years, and not let the negotiations and the money get in the way of that.
"I had faith that that was going to get done when it needed to, and obviously, I wouldn't have liked that to go right up until the season."
In recent years, several high-profile contract negotiations for the 49ers have come down to the wire. Deals for defensive end Nick Bosa, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and tackle Trent Williams weren't finalized until just before Week 1, creating plenty of offseason drama in the process.
"That would have probably been a little bit more stressful and whatnot," Purdy continued. "But coming here early in the offseason program, and getting around the guys, and getting on the field, and throwing, getting the timing down, getting to know guys, that is some crucial stuff for how the season turns out to be.
"So, I knew from the get-go, whether the contract was done or not, that I was going to be here."
Purdy credited the 49ers' structured offseason process for his growth and success and didn't want to miss out on any of it.
"Obviously, I want to keep getting better as I get older into my career," Purdy added, "but just because I get paid more doesn't mean I should change my process or my mindset or anything. So, I'm going to continue to do what I have done."
And the goal, he emphasized, remains unchanged. Everyone in the building is chasing that elusive Super Bowl championship. After coming so close recently, that hunger has only intensified.
"It's right there, and we want it so bad for this fan base and for each other," Purdy said. "And obviously, we're going to do everything that we can. ... We want to continue to build a legacy here in San Francisco from what all the teams have done in the past, but it's one day at a time."
You can listen to Purdy's entire interview below.