Since stepping in as the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback in 2022, Brock Purdy has been seen as the team’s present and future leader.
The Niners made that belief official Friday, agreeing to a five-year, $265 million contract extension with Purdy, including $181 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The deal is a huge raise for Purdy, famously dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He earned just $2.6 million over his first three seasons, ranking 76th among NFL quarterbacks in pay during that time. His new contract averages $53 million per year — meaning he will make more per week now than he did during those first three years combined.
General manager John Lynch had expressed confidence the deal would get done. “I think we’re going to get the deal done,” Lynch said in March. Purdy’s participation in the offseason program in April and the positive talks leading up to the NFL draft suggested the contract was nearing completion.
The Niners’ faith in Purdy remains strong despite a tough 2024 season where injuries to key teammates affected his performance. Running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, left tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel all missed time, limiting the support around Purdy.
In 15 games last season, Purdy ranked seventh in QBR (67.9), 10th in passing yards (3,864), and third in yards per attempt (8.5). He faced struggles in bad weather and had difficulty leading late comebacks. His touchdown-to-interception ratio dropped from 2.8 in 2023 to 1.7 in 2024, tying him for 23rd among quarterbacks.
Still, the 49ers’ confidence did not waver. Since taking over as the starter for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13 of 2022, Purdy has led the team to a 27-15 record including playoffs. Over that span, he ranks fourth in QBR (70.2), third in passing yards (9,452), first in yards per attempt (8.9), and seventh in touchdown passes (64).
Purdy said he wanted to handle his contract talks respectfully and quickly so he could focus on football and the team. “More than anything for me, I want to be able to handle business the right way and do it in a respectable manner and get back to my team as fast as I can to get going,” he said.
The negotiation resembled the 49ers’ 2018 deal with Garoppolo, who signed a five-year, $137.5 million extension that made him the league’s highest-paid player at the time. Unlike Garoppolo, Purdy had one year left on his rookie contract, so the process took longer but still concluded earlier than other recent San Francisco contract talks.
With the contract now settled, Purdy can focus fully on leading the team back to playoff contention after a disappointing 6-11 season in 2024. Coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized his faith in Purdy’s leadership and talent. “Brock is the leader of our team,” Shanahan said. “I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I’m here. He’s a guy I’ve got a lot of confidence in… capable of winning a Super Bowl.”
Purdy echoed that confidence, saying, “I want to be in San Francisco and play my football career here. I know that I’m the guy for this organization and that I can do what it takes to help lead us where we want to go.”
The 49ers also made moves to strengthen their special teams, signing veteran kicker Greg Joseph to a one-year deal to compete with Jake Moody, who struggled with consistency last season.
With Purdy locked in for the long term and key positions addressed, the Niners look to bounce back and return to championship form in the coming seasons.
Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
