Purdy battles through injuries, earns more respect from 49ers

Share

SEATTLE — Brock Purdy showed his mettle, battling through injury while helping the 49ers clinch the NFC West title with a 21-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night at Lumen Field. 

Even after the win over the Seahawks, the 22-year-old rookie never let on how much pain he was dealing with from the rib and oblique injuries suffered last weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his composure was not only noticed by his teammates but by coach Kyle Shanahan.

“Definitely another level, it was another level for me just watching someone doing it,” Shanahan said after the game. “The injury he had last week and for him to be ready to go today. You could tell in warmups number of things that were really tough for him.”

Purdy finished the game completing 17 of his 26 attempts for 217 yards with two touchdown passes while likely playing through considerable pain. 

Maybe the most impressive play Purdy made was his run to convert a first down in a third-and-1 situation just prior to the two minute warning in the fourth quarter. The play set up two Jordan Mason runs that sealed the division win for the 49ers.

“For him to be able to play, let alone to play the way he did, and protect the ball," Shanahan said. "He struggled to move a little bit at times. Especially there at the end, for that third-and-1, for him to be able to run and move the chains there, I got -- the team had a lot of respect for him before that game, and a lot more now." 

Those outside the building might be surprised, but Purdy’s teammates have seen this behavior from him since he arrived in Santa Clara during the offseason. Usually when a team’s starting quarterback is lost for the season, let alone two, there is a sense of defeat, but not for the 49ers.

RELATED: Report card for 49ers' win over Seahawks

Trent Williams has seen a lot in his 13 years in the NFL and the veteran left tackle knew what Purdy was dealing with heading into Thursday night’s matchup.

“Brock is phenomenal,” Williams said. “It’s one thing to have a good supporting cast and get the job done and not make mistakes but it’s another thing to come here on the road on a short week, battling a tough injury to have as a quarterback. Especially when you want him to toss the ball around the yard. I’m impressed with him. 

“He has a lot of heart and a lot of dog in him and he feed off of that.”

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Contact Us