Jeff Garcia praises Brock Purdy, discusses 49ers QB's growth potential (2024)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

By David Bonilla

Apr 11, 2024 at 12:46 PM• --

Share this on TwitterShare this on FacebookShare this on ThreadsFlip into FlipboardShare this on RedditShare via SMSShare via Email

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

Jeff Garcia has been impressed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in his two seasons with the team. As the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy was thrust into the spotlight after the 49ers faced quarterback injuries and proved his NFL mettle.

While some doubts lingered after his rookie season, Purdy's resilience shone through. Despite starting only five regular-season games, he guided the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, where, unfortunately, he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm. Garcia was among those who wondered whether Purdy could maintain his success into his second season.

Last year, coming off surgery, Purdy set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards. His impressive performance earned him a Pro Bowl selection and positioned him as a finalist for the coveted MVP award, culminating in leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance.

"He went through a little streak last season where there were a couple of struggles, but he snapped out of it," Garcia said Thursday on Bay Area radio station KNBR's "Murph and Markus" show. "Got back to doing what he does best and making plays, making smart decisions, giving his weapons an opportunity to make plays, to catch the ball, to run with the ball, escaping the pocket, lengthening the play when needed, and making some unbelievable plays. I mean, enough big-time plays to help lead that team to the Super Bowl and damn near win it."

This year marks a significant opportunity for Purdy to refine his skills, as he will receive most of the offseason practice reps for the first time in his career. He was buried on the depth chart as a rookie. Last offseason, he was recovering from surgery and didn't throw to his teammates until training camp.

Garcia believes Purdy can leverage this offseason to enhance his arm strength, speed, and durability while scrutinizing his on-field play to identify areas for improvement.

"Maybe there were certain breakdowns in decision-making, certain decisions based on pre-snap and post-snap, how he's seeing the coverage, how he's seeing the coverage rotate after the snap, where he's going with the football," Garcia stated. "I mean, how can you knock a young man that did everything that he did in just his first full-time season as a starting quarterback and lead the team to the Super Bowl? I mean, how do you change that?

"You just continue to grow upon that, and I'm sure he's going to be very critical of the things that he did last year, how he can improve himself, how he can go in as a greater leader, more confident in the system. How do you continue to expand the system with him now as your stable quarterback is coming back for his third season with the team? And I'm sure [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] has a lot of things that he would like to continue to add into the system and grow with Brock as his quarterback."

Despite being just 24 years old, Purdy has exhibited a maturity beyond his years, earning praise from Garcia for his veteran-like demeanor and leadership qualities.

"He's very mature for his age, and you love to see that among these young guys, especially a young guy that's leading our team in the Bay Area," Garcia remarked.

You can listen to the entire conversation with Garcia below.

Facebook Comments

Do not use the comments to notify us of errors in the article. Editors may not see it. Instead, report errors here.

More San Francisco 49ers News

Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are why the 49ers can afford to pay Brandon Aiyuk

By David Bonilla

Apr 10

It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023

NFL exec on 49ers' Brock Purdy: "I think he needs to find more fire"

By David Bonilla

4 hrs

Brock Purdy isn't one to seek the spotlight. He exudes politeness, respect, and an even-keeled demeanor when speaking to reporters during interviews. Nothing we've seen from the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's time off the field would indicate that it's a facade.However, on the field, Purdy can show some fire, particularly after a big play or in an effort to ensure his teammates are on the same page as him. While praising the third-year quarterback, one unnamed NFL executive expressed a desire to see more of that fire from Purdy in the future, believing it is crucial to his development."Brock Purdy is one of the most talented arms that I've seen," the executive recently

Insider: 49ers need to start planning for life without George Kittle

By David Bonilla

Apr 4

George Kittle's passion for football is undeniable, and the San Francisco 49ers' tight end seems determined to keep playing until he physically can't anymore. While he played 16 games last season, Kittle has been no stranger to injuries over his career. Much of that can be attributed to his physical playing style and desire to contribute to the run game with his aggressive blocking.Kittle is entering his eighth NFL season and turned 30 in October. San Francisco has long sought to provide some depth at the position to alleviate the workload on their All-Pro player but has yet to be successful. Kittle played 895 offensive snaps during his 2023 campaign, a significant margin ahead of the next 49ers tight end, Charlie Woerner, who tallied 312 snaps before signing a free-agent

No Huddle Podcast: 49ers Webzone Mock Draft 1.0 Special

By Site Staff

Apr 5

(Episode 327) — Brian Renick and Al Sacco simulate an entire seven-round mock draft as co-general managers of the 49ers. The guys give you an analysis of every pick they make and share their honest thoughts on each available prospect.The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe!You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on Apple Podcasts,