George Kittle had some strong words of support for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s performance against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
In an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," the star tight end talked about a moment during Saturday's game where Purdy’s expression of frustration fired him up and got him locked into the game.
“There were also moments in the game where Brock expressed himself to our players," Kittle said. "We had an MA [missed assignment] somewhere and he’s yelling at somebody, and I’m like, ‘That’s what I need Brock, I need you to yell at somebody.' "
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When asked by McAfee if that was the first time that Purdy had expressed himself in that manner, Kittle pointed out that it was not, but his outburst came at just the right time as the young quarterback locked in and finished out the game on a high note.
“Not first time but whenever he gets like that where something happens and he gets to express himself, there’s a switch that flips and the second after that, he was cooking," Kittle said. "So, I was like, 'Ah I’m not worried at all, Brock’s on it, I’m good.' "
Purdy and the 49ers' offense struggled to gain traction in slippery conditions against the Packers, and it was not until the closing stages of the game that Purdy was able to start clicking with his receivers, going 6-for-7 on pass attempts during his final game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter.
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Since taking over the starting role in the middle of last season, Purdy has had plenty of success leading the 49ers offense and helping the team make it to the NFC Championship game in both seasons. Still, there is a seemingly never-ending legion of detractors who think Purdy is only a system quarterback and vastly overrated, leading plenty of other teammates such as Deebo Samuel to defend the second-year QB.
Still, Purdy’s clutch game-winning drive earned plenty of praise from some of his detractors, who applauded the QB’s ability to take the game into his own hands when the team needed him to step up.
Purdy and the 49ers will now host the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. After two straight losses in the championship game, the 49ers are looking to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl and hold off a resurgent Lions team that is having its best season in over 30 years.