For years, San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams has enjoyed the status of being one of the NFL's highest-paid offensive linemen. His teammate, quarterback Brock Purdy, started from the opposite end of the spectrum. Selected with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy began his career as one of the league's biggest bargains.
That all changed this offseason when the 49ers rewarded Purdy with a massive five-year, $265 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Now earning nearly twice Williams' annual salary, Purdy has gone from underdog to franchise centerpiece. And the future Hall of Fame lineman couldn't be happier for his quarterback.
"Trust me, he's one of the richest people I've ever met in person," Williams joked on Tuesday. "But for me, it's super, super fulfilling just to watch a guy like Brock. You talk about a Cinderella story, I think this is the epitome of that—a guy going from making a few hundred thousand a year to making $50 million a year, it's astronomical."
Purdy will now earn more per game than he did over his first three NFL seasons combined. It's a huge leap in pay—and one his teammates believe is well deserved. In just two seasons as a starter, Purdy led the 49ers to back-to-back NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl berth before last year's injury-plagued six-win campaign.
Now that Purdy is financially set for life, Williams is confident that the quarterback's future will continue to be filled with success.
"It couldn't have happened to a better guy," Williams added. "He is the guy for this team. He is the guy for this franchise. This is just the tip of the iceberg. He's going to get another contract. He's going to win a lot of football games. He's that good of a player.
"So, super, super happy to see that happen for him. I love him like a brother, so I couldn't be any happier."