Shanahan offers a silver lining to Purdy, 49ers down season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Kyle Shanahan believes quarterback Brock Purdy will take advantage of all the adversity the 49ers have faced during the 2024 NFL season.
Shanahan explained Purdy’s progress during what has been a frustrating and uneven 2024 campaign for San Francisco and its third-year quarterback.
“He’s in a more challenging situation this year,” Shanahan told reporters Thursday. ‘He still has two weeks. I think it will be very good for him in the long run. I thought he played at such a high level in some situations last year that some were good and easier, but others were difficult. Like even both of those playoff games, some of the situations we were in and he led us back to ultimately win both and go to the Super Bowl.
“I think it’s been harder for him this year having some of his guys out and stuff like that, but usually those things can make you better. I think he fought through it all year. He still has two weeks to fight through it and hopefully we can still improve in those two weeks and then go to the movies in the offseason.”
Purdy and the rest of the 49ers offense seemed out of sync for most of the season, partly due to injuries at critical positions. Without Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey for extended periods of time, the 24-year-old quarterback regressed in his third pro season.
Even though San Francisco is out of the playoffs, there is still plenty for Purdy to play for in the final two games. Showing he can be an elite-level QB worthy of a big contract this season is a top priority.
His cheap rookie contract has allowed San Francisco to retain most of its other superstar playmakers, but Purdy will now be able to command significantly more money. Whether or not the 49ers decide to make a huge financial commitment to Purdy remains to be seen and will depend on how he performs over the final two games of the season.
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