San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch recently appeared on CBS Sports' With the First Pick podcast, hosted by Ryan Wilson and Lynch's former colleague Ran Carthon. During the in-depth conversation, the topic eventually shifted to quarterback Brock Purdy, now the highest-paid player in franchise history and one of the NFL's top-paid players.
Purdy's journey from "Mr. Irrelevant"—the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft—to the starting quarterback of one of the league's most storied franchises has become an inspiring narrative. According to Lynch, Purdy's work ethic and approach have made him a role model for young players trying to break through.
"Brock's done so much for us from the day he entered, from the day he was the number four guy [in the QB room]," Lynch explained. "And I remember being at practice—it's a great illustration. A lot of old-school NFL guys will say to guys coming into training camp, 'Don't count your reps. Make your reps count.'
"Well, nobody ever painted that picture better than Brock Purdy, because early on in the days of camp, as the last player taken [in the draft], you're getting three, four reps. And it's hard to really shine and turn people's heads when you're only getting that many reps. And it's really easy just to play it safe."
But Purdy didn't play it safe at all, and that got the attention of the 49ers coaches and staff.
"He'd get three reps in a practice, and three of them, he'd get the ball into these small windows," Lynch continued, "and you're like, 'Man, this dude, is it reckless or is it confidence?' And what we found, it was confidence. Everyone starts looking at each other. When you start getting that look, you're like, 'Man, we may have something now.'"
Lynch admits that no one within the organization could have predicted what was to come—Purdy stepping into a starting role after injuries to other quarterbacks and then never looking back. One early moment that stood out to Lynch was when Purdy was thrust into action against the Miami Dolphins in his first meaningful snaps.
"They were bringing the house on Brock," Lynch said, "and I remember one of his early throws, standing in there against that pressure, getting hit in the mouth, and delivering a ball to Kittle over the middle. And he didn't blink. Wow, that was impressive."
As the 49ers entered the 2025 offseason, it was clear that a major decision loomed regarding Purdy's future. Lynch emphasized that there was a consensus within the organization that Purdy was their franchise quarterback. This key factor contributed to a smooth, drama-free contract negotiation with agent Kyle Strongin.
Lynch stressed the importance of that universal agreement inside the building, especially knowing that Purdy would receive a contract like no other in franchise history.
"[Owner] Jed York better feel really good about that," Lynch said. "And Jed lets us do our work, but when you're talking [about] your quarterback of your franchise, everybody's got to be all in, and that was a really quick think tank.
"We all got together, and we all felt passionate that Brock's the guy that we want to build around, and we want as our guy behind center for the foreseeable future, and hopefully, the rest of his career. And it didn't take long."
Lynch added that Purdy's strong reputation among his teammates in the locker room made the decision even easier.
"Our guys love him, our guys pull behind him, and he's an asset to this organization," Lynch said. "So, we were able to get a deal done. His representative, Kyle Strongin, did a great job. We had good conversations early on—kind of laying out the roadmap—how we wanted to get this done. We arrived at a place where everyone was happy, and we did it, and I thought that was really good for the 49ers."