Niners Nation
The 49ers quarterback gave an honest assessment of his play ahead of Week 16.
The San Francisco 49ers are set to take on the Miami Dolphins this weekend, looking to get back in the win column after a disappointing 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Thursday.
The loss dropped the 49ers to 6-8 on the season, likely ending their season as their slim playoff hopes simmered down even more, which would be only the second time since 2018 that the team has not reached the postseason.
It’s been an inconsistent year for San Francisco, as they’ve struggled to close games, while having issues on both sides of the ball, be it red zone play, inconsistencies against the run game, or a handful of other problems.
Perhaps the most controversial player on the team this season has been quarterback Brock Purdy, who has been forced to deal with injuries to key skill position players as he looked to take a step up in Year 3.
As a result, it hasn’t been the year he imagined thus far, with Purdy throwing for 3,174 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions over 13 games, while completing a career-low 65 percent of his passes.
The numbers are still solid, but they haven’t been as strong as Purdy’s first two seasons. How has the quarterback evaluated his growth in Year 3?
“Yeah, I think there’s some plays out there that I’d love to have back and I wish I could’ve been better for my team and for myself,” Purdy acknowledged on Thursday. “But at the same time, I feel like there’s been some growth in my game that has happened and really just I think like leadership-wise with this team and sort of stepping up when the team needs it, sort of just being a guy that they can hear from.
“In the past, I’ve been sort of particular about when I speak and waiting for the right moment, but this year it’s been more than it has. And so, I don’t know, I feel more comfortable in who I am, but also like I think I need to get better and get back to playing at the chip on my shoulder like it was my first two years of every game, every down trying to prove to myself that I’m the guy for this team and I’m capable of doing it. And so, that’s sort of just been the case this year with some moments and I’ve got to learn from that.”
That leadership growth is an important step for Purdy as he looks to be the face of the franchise, but it’s clear the comfortability factor hasn’t quite been at the level he’s expressed over the past two seasons.
Perhaps that’s due to the fact that he’s dealt with a new core of weapons in 2024, as Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey have missed most of the season. While George Kittle has enjoyed one of his best years to date, he’s also...
