Once Brock Purdy took over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season, it didn't take long for the rookie 49ers quarterback to prove he belonged.
But months before he became starter, a conversation Purdy overheard during the preseason showed him his veteran teammates liked what he had shown in practice.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer detailed the chat between All-Pros Fred Warner and Trent Williams in his latest piece, which offered a glimpse of the support Purdy eventually would receive as the team's top signal-caller.
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"Man, I can’t wait to watch Purdy play tomorrow,” Warner told Williams the day before San Francisco's preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, unaware Purdy was standing right behind them as they trotted into the 49ers building.
"So I was getting some guys’ attention,” Purdy told Breer, recalling the moment. “Like, 'OK, I’m doing something right.' "
Purdy's opportunities in his first training camp last season were sporadic, taking snaps after Trey Lance and Nate Sudfeld got their fill while Garoppolo practiced on a side field amid trade talks.
But the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft showed enough during those chances to earn a spot on the 53-man roster as the third-string quarterback behind Lance and Garoppolo, and when he took over in December, his teammates knew the poised rookie was up for the challenge.
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Purdy helped secure that Week 13 victory over the Miami Dolphins, then went on to win seven games in a row as starter before he was knocked out of the NFC Championship Game with a shot to his elbow that tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.
The 23-year-old underwent surgery to repair his UCL in March, and this week, the last of his throwing restrictions in practice were lifted as he prepares to start under center against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 season opener Sept. 10.
And just like one year ago, his teammates and the 49ers Faithful certainly can't wait.
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