49ers QB Brock Purdy reflects on first NFL snaps against Chiefs in 2022 – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

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 against 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 that was already 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 end the game. Purdy recalled the whirlwind of his first real NFL action on Thursday, just days before San Francisco faced Kansas City at home on Sunday.

“We joke about it, actually,” Purdy recalled with a smile. “Just because it was my first real action in the regular season when I was thrown into that game, and I just remember it happened pretty quickly.

“The game was fast for me, my feet were moving very quickly. I just remember seeing Frank Clark and some of the guys. I'm like, 'Man, are these guys still in the game?' I'm there at the end of the game and they're still in it.' Just my mind went pretty fast.”

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo also remembers the trip and was impressed by how much Purdy has developed as a quarterback. The coach will no doubt try to find ways to limit Purdy's options, but admitted it was a challenge.

“We start at the front with stopping the run and hopefully we can get the quarterback to not be as timed as he was,” Spagnuolo said Thursday. “I don’t see any weakness in this quarterback. Every time I put on the film I am more and more impressed.”

Just five weeks after his first NFL snaps of 2022, Purdy took over for the injured Garoppolo and never looked back. The following week, the Iowa State product was selected as the starter and ultimately led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.

Purdy seemed to look back on his first quarterback trip with fondness, but was always aware that his development will only continue the more he plays.

“I pride myself on learning,” Purdy said. “In the growth, in the process of this whole thing, playing week in and week out in the NFL and improving my fundamentals and being able to really be successful in those situations and those moments, that's progress.”

“It’s getting better. And so I look back and laugh at some things.

Perhaps the element of Purdy's game that stands out most to Spagnuolo since 2022 is the signal-caller's ability to thrive while being blitzed.

“The most impressive thing to me is that he has a unique way of coming out of it, even if it's not to get out quickly in the blitz,” Spagnuolo said. “I just showed a play this morning. He didn’t bat an eyelash, he didn’t panic at all and he was out of there.”

Purdy was effective on the blitz, 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 just one interception.

Purdy will have to draw on his resolve on Sunday when Chris Jones and the Chiefs defense come to Levi's Stadium for their Week 7 clash.

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