How Brock Purdy Felt About 49ers’ Offseason Interest In Tom Brady

After leading the 49ers to within one win of Super Bowl LVII, Brock Purdy earned the opportunity to enter the 2023 season as San Francisco’s starting quarterback.

However, there was a scenario — and perhaps only one — where the sophomore signal-caller was going to enter the campaign holding a clipboard.

Purdy’s play was nothing but encouraging last season, and had it not been for a serious arm injury in the NFC Championship Game, the Niners might have had a real shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last February. But despite clear faith in Purdy, head coach Kyle Shanahan let the 24-year-old know the team still was keeping one door open behind center over the offseason.

“I remember him (Shanahan) saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we’re going to try to get him,” Purdy told ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s the GOAT. I get it.’ But something deep down inside me was sort of like, ‘Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system. And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.’ … More than anything, I was like, ‘OK, now let’s go.'”

The Niners ended up being in good hands with Purdy this season. The “Mr. Irrelevant” of last year’s draft was an MVP candidate for the majority of the campaign and helped San Francisco earn the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. Purdy also was largely efficient in Saturday’s home win over the Green Bay Packers, which punched his team’s return ticket to the NFC Title Game.

All told, Purdy probably won’t have to worry about being replaced this offseason.