SANTA CLARA — Almost exactly two years ago in Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season, Brock Purdy attempted his first pass as a 49ers quarterback facing the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium.
It was a short-lived experience in mop-up duty after then-starter Jimmy Garoppolo left the field in a 44-23 game which already was out of reach.
Purdy led a 10-play, 67-yard drive before throwing a pass intended for Jauan Jennings that was intercepted by Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill to close out the game. Purdy recalled the whirlwind of his first real NFL action on Thursday, just a few days before San Francisco faces Kansas City on Sunday at home.
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“We sort of joke about it, actually,” Purdy recalled with a smile. “Just because when I did get thrown into that game, it was my first real regular-season action, and I just remember it was pretty fast.
“The game was fast for me, my feet were moving really fast. I just remember seeing Frank Clark and some of the guys. I'm like, ‘Man, these guys are still in the game? I'm in at the end of the game and they're still in.’ Just my mind was going pretty fast.”
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo remembers the drive as well, and he has been impressed with how much Purdy has developed as a quarterback. The coach undoubtedly will try to create ways to limit Purdy’s options but admitted it’s been a challenge.
“It’s going to start up front in stopping the run, and hopefully we can get the quarterback to not be in timing like he is,” Spagnuolo said Thursday. “I can’t find a weakness in this quarterback. Every time I put the film on, I’m more and more impressed.”
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Just five weeks after his first NFL snaps in 2022, Purdy took over for an injured Garoppolo and never looked back. The following week, the Iowa State product was tapped as the starter, eventually leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.
Purdy seemed to look back at his first quarterbacking drive with fondness, while always recognizing that his development only will continue the more he plays.
“I take pride in learning,” Purdy said. “In the growth, in the process of this whole thing of playing in the NFL week to week and getting better with my fundamentals, and being able to actually thrive in those kind of situations and in the moments, that's progress.
“That's getting better. And so, I look back on it and sort of chuckle about some stuff.”
Maybe the element of Purdy’s game that has stood out the most for Spagnuolo since 2022 is the signal-caller’s ability to thrive while being blitzed.
“To me the most impressive thing is even if it wasn’t getting it out quick on a blitz, he has a unique way of getting away from it,” Spagnuolo said. "I just showed a play this morning. He didn’t blink, he didn’t panic at all and he was out of there.”
Purdy has been effective when being blitzed, completing 41 of his 65 pass attempts for 558 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions. The Pro Bowl quarterback is just as good under pressure, completing 35 of his 61 attempts for 457 yards and five touchdowns with only one interception.
Purdy will need to call on his elusiveness Sunday when Chris Jones and the Chiefs' defense come to Levi's Stadium for their Week 7 clash.
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