Purdy seeks to maintain competitive edge as NFL career blossoms

SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy set an outrageously high standard in his first 25 games as an NFL starting quarterback. He ranks No. 1 for any player in NFL history with a passer rating of 112.6 in his first 25 regular-season starts, as the 49ers achieved a 19-6 record since he took over late in the 2022 season. At 24, Purdy said he believes his ability to continue his top-notch play — or even take it to a higher level — comes down to his competitive mindset. "The challenge for me now is, man, how can I continue to have that mentality of having the chip on my shoulder and competing every down in the game for four quarters?" Purdy said on Thursday. Of course, Purdy entered the NFL as the 262nd and final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. So he came into the spotlight with a desire to prove he belonged. "When I first got in my rookie year, there was this energy of, 'Hey, I'm a young guy getting thrown in, man, I'm going to just show my guys that I can compete and bring it and bring it every down and every play and give our team a chance,'" Purdy said. "And sometimes when you play for a long time, you can sort of lose that." In his first full season as the 49ers' starter, Purdy led the NFL...