It's been a monumental offseason for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. The 25-year-old signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Despite his early success, some critics remain unconvinced that Purdy has consistently performed at an elite level worthy of such a lucrative deal.
However, head coach Kyle Shanahan disagrees.
Speaking on Tuesday, Shanahan addressed the expectations surrounding Purdy following his big payday, making it clear that nothing has changed in terms of how the 49ers view their quarterback.
"I think Brock's played at a very high level since he's been here, since his first game in, to his last game," Shanahan stated. "I think Brock's played at an extremely high level, and that's why he's earned that contract."
Purdy's new deal ties him with Jared Goff as the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL, with an average salary of $53 million per year. In 2023, he set a 49ers single-season record with 4,280 passing yards while throwing 31 touchdowns. But his production dipped in 2024, finishing with 3,864 passing yards and 20 touchdowns as the injury-plagued 49ers stumbled to a 6-11 record.
Critics argue that Purdy failed to elevate the team during adversity, a trait expected from the league's top quarterbacks—especially those with elite contracts.
Doubters want to see more from Purdy, especially now that he's no longer a salary-cap bargain. A strong 2025 campaign could do a great deal to silence the critics.
Purdy isn't letting the contract change his mindset. He understands the weight of the expectations but insists his approach remains the same.
"Obviously, the organization, that's their way of showing that they put their trust and faith in me as a guy to lead this organization, and I'm very honored for that," Purdy said on Tuesday. "Obviously, I've always believed that I'm able to be that guy for this organization. But it doesn't matter how much I get paid. ... I'm going to go out there, and anytime I step out on the field, I'm the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and there's a standard that I've got to play at, and a chip that I have to have on my shoulder every single rep, every single day. I don't look at it any differently. I never have and I won't."
Shanahan doesn't believe Purdy needs to change his approach moving forward.
"I think the hardest thing with this league, and the amount of money, and the amount of coverage, when people get contracts, there's all this other expectation of, now, what do they have to do?" Shanahan said. "Brock needs to keep playing how he's always played and continue to get better, like everyone does. You get better or worse—you don't stay the same.
"Brock has had a hell of a short career so far. He had a hell of an offseason. And when you have a guy who is, to me, real in those ways, it hasn't been fake—the way he works, who he is as a man, what he's put on film, what we see every day—he will keep getting better, and that's what we saw throughout OTAs."
Purdy will face significant expectations in 2025, but Shanahan and the 49ers remain confident that their quarterback is ready for the challenge.