"It's that old saying: Don't count your reps. Make your reps count," San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch recently told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
Whatever he was showing in practices must have been impressive. The rookie was working hard to earn the respect of his coaches and teammates but was still situated behind Trey Lance and Nate Sudfeld on the depth chart. Leading into the 2022 preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, the first-year player received confirmation that he was earning his teammates' respect.
Purdy overheard a conversation between two accomplished veterans.
Linebacker Fred Warner and tackle Trent Williams, two All-Pros, were walking into the Niners' building, unaware that the then-rookie quarterback was walking behind them.
"Man, I can't wait to watch Purdy play tomorrow," an excited Warner said to Williams.
That meant a lot to Purdy, who stealthly overheard the comment.
"So I was getting some guys' attention," the quarterback told Breer while reflecting on that moment. "Like, O.K., I'm doing something right."
RELATED
Purdy ended up doing a lot of things right last season. First, he beat out Sudfeld for a spot on the 53-man roster. Then, after injuries to Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, the young quarterback became the starter. The 49ers offense didn't skip a beat, and Purdy guided the team to the NFC Championship Game before suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.
The 49ers have made it clear all offseason that Purdy will be the team's Week 1 starter, so long as the quarterback is healthy. Things seem to be trending in that direction.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Brock Purdy among betting favorites to lead NFL in interceptions
Covers (formerly OddsShark) released the betting favorites for a statistic no NFL quarterback wants to lead: interceptions in 2026. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is among the favorites to throw the most. New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith threw an NFL-leading... -
How 49ers' Mike Evans is inspiring Brock Purdy to play his best football in 2026
Wide receiver Mike Evans joined the San Francisco 49ers in March, bringing with him an impressive résumé that includes 11 consecutive seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards. As Evans enters his 13th NFL season, the veteran wideout is already inspiring his... -
49ers' Brock Purdy needs to improve in one key area, says QB-coach duo ranking
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports ranked the NFL's top 10 quarterback-coach duos heading into the 2026 season, with the San Francisco 49ers' pairing of Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan coming in at No. 6. At the top of the list is the Los Angeles Rams duo of Matthew Stafford and Sean... -
49ers roster moves: D-lineman signed while another is placed on IR
The San Francisco 49ers have officially announced the signing of defensive lineman Khalid Kareem to a one-year deal. News of the signing was first reported by Greg Aumen of FOX Sports. To make room on the roster, the team placed defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu on the injured...