Brock Purdy and San Francisco's star-studded offense have received most of the attention, but the work up front has helped the 49ers get off to an undefeated start.

Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, Purdy has been nearly impossible to stop. The 49ers quarterback leads the NFL with an 80.4% completion rate and has thrown for 492 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. San Francisco is converting 63.2% of its third downs, the second-best rate in the league, and has scored touchdowns on seven of its eight red-zone trips.


There are plenty of reasons for the 49ers' offensive success, but one of them has received considerably less attention.

The offensive line hasn't allowed a sack, and San Francisco is the only NFL team that has yet to allow one through two games. The 49ers have also allowed only 11 pressures charged to their offensive line, seven of them coming against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 and four against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

The line hasn't been perfect, but it doesn't need to be. So far, it has been reliable enough to give Purdy and Kyle Shanahan's offense room to operate. That might be one of the biggest reasons the 49ers are sitting at 2-0.

Purdy's Success Starts Up Front


It's easy to look at Purdy's numbers and only focus on the quarterback, as he deserves plenty of credit. Purdy completed 20 of 22 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns against Miami, while also adding a rushing touchdown. He finished the game with a 149.1 passer rating and earned a 96.6 overall PFF grade, the highest among all 49ers players in the game.

But Purdy's success doesn't happen on its own. He has had enough time to work through the offense, find his receivers and take advantage of what the defense gives him.


Through two games, he has attempted 56 passes without being sacked. That clean pocket is especially important for a 49ers offense that is built around timing and creating opportunities after the snap. And the results have been generally impressive.

San Francisco is averaging 44.8 yards per drive, the best mark in the NFL, while averaging 3.65 points per drive, which ranks third. The 49ers are also averaging 6.8 plays per drive, third-best in the league.

Those numbers can't all be attributed to the offensive line. The quarterback, skill-position players and Shanahan's play-calling all play major roles in the operation. Yet none of it works nearly as well when the quarterback is constantly running for his life.

Connor Colby's Bounce-back


Perhaps the most encouraging development along the offensive line has been Connor Colby's response to a tough Week 1.

Colby entered the season as the team's starting left guard after competing for the position during the offseason, and his first regular-season game left plenty of room for improvement. Against the Rams, Colby posted a 53.5 overall PFF grade, the lowest among San Francisco's starting offensive linemen. His 60.8 pass-blocking grade was also the lowest among the team's offensive linemen, and he allowed two pressures.


One week later, he looked like a completely different player. Against Miami, Colby earned an 86.3 pass-blocking grade, the best among the 49ers' offensive linemen. He also didn't allow a single pressure on 27 pass-blocking snaps. That's the kind of response the 49ers want from a young player taking over an important position.

It would be premature to say the left guard position is no longer something to watch for, though. Two games just isn't enough to make that conclusion. But Colby's performance against Miami was an important step in the right direction.

The Veterans Are Providing Stability


While Colby's development is one of the more interesting storylines, the 49ers' offensive line still has plenty of experience around him.

Trent Williams remains the anchor of this unit. The 12-time Pro Bowler earned a 72.8 overall grade against Miami, allowed one pressure and one hit on 26 pass-blocking snaps and posted the team's best run-blocking grade at 75.4.

Jake Brendel and Dominick Puni provide experience in the middle of the line, while Colton McKivitz continues to hold down the right tackle position. McKivitz actually had San Francisco's highest overall offensive-line grade against the Rams in Week 1 at 75.1, while Puni had the team's best pass-blocking grade in that game at 82.7.


There have been some mistakes, as McKivitz allowed three of the four pressures charged to the offensive line against Miami. But there hasn't been a major breakdown, and for a team with as much talent at quarterback and the skill positions as San Francisco, that kind of consistency can go a long way.

Protecting Purdy is Just the Beginning


The offensive line's impact isn't limited to the passing game. San Francisco has rushed for 269 yards through two games, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Both marks rank eighth in the NFL.

The 49ers rushed for 174 yards in their Week 1 victory over the Rams, with Christian McCaffrey gaining 68 yards and rookie Kaelon Black adding 65. The running game wasn't nearly as productive against Miami, but that's part of what makes the overall offensive performance interesting.

San Francisco doesn't need to run for 175 yards every week. It just needs to be efficient enough on the ground to keep defenses from focusing entirely on Purdy and the passing game. That balance helps Shanahan stay unpredictable, gives the running game better opportunities and creates more favorable situations for Purdy. The offensive line is at the center of all of it.

It's Still Too Early to Call This Group Among the League's Best


One might be tempted to look at the numbers and make a big declaration about San Francisco's offensive line, but that would be premature.


The 49ers have played only two games, and the group will face more difficult defensive fronts as the season progresses. There have already been signs that the line isn't perfect, particularly with the pressures allowed by McKivitz against Miami. And while zero sacks is impressive, sacks aren't the only measure of pass protection. Still, the early results are difficult to ignore.

The question now isn't whether the 49ers have one of the best offensive lines in football. It's whether this group can continue giving Purdy the stability that allows the rest of San Francisco's offense to operate at its best.

Through two weeks, it's doing exactly that. And maybe that's why the offensive line hasn't received much attention. When an offensive line is struggling, everyone notices. But when it's doing its job, the offense ranks near the top of the league and the eyes shift to the players making the big plays. For the 49ers, that's probably exactly how they want it.

Although it's only been two games, the offensive line has given San Francisco something every offense needs: a reliable foundation. If that continues, the 49ers' offense could be difficult to slow down.

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