Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers had a 45-yard touchdown run taken off the board Sunday. He knew exactly who to blame.
Purdy Jokingly Calls Kittle “Selfish” After the 49ers’ Win
George Kittle’s holding penalty erased the score in the San Francisco 49ers’ 36-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Purdy got his revenge on the next opportunity. He threw Kittle a 20-yard touchdown with 1:31 left to seal the win.
Kevin Topley of NBC Sports Bay Area asked Purdy whether he had to grit his teeth to throw that score to the man who cost him one. Purdy laughed. “100 percent, we were just joking, saying he was really selfish to get the flag and then score a touchdown after,” Purdy said. “But it was fun. I’m glad we were able to finish and capitalize there. Just typical George fashion.”
Kittle Shifts the Blame
Kittle took the ribbing well. He also had a defense ready. He said he was excited by how the offense was running downhill on that drive, and he knew he would be uncovered. “We could have just kneeled it out, but no one told me to, so that’s their fault, not mine,” Kittle said.
The moment fit the tone of a day that turned into a shootout. The 49ers had led by as many as 17 points. Arizona kept clawing back behind Jacoby Brissett, who found Michael Wilson for a touchdown and moved the ball against a banged-up San Francisco defense. The Cardinals got within 29-27 late in the fourth quarter. That made the final touchdown to Kittle matter even more.
Says he could have stopped at the 1-yard line to end the game, but “no one told me too, so that’s their fault, not mine.”
Purdy’s Big Day for the 49ers
The offense barely needed the run. It started fast. Deebo Samuel opened the scoring with an 80-yard hook-and-ladder touchdown from Mike Evans. Christian McCaffrey later leaped over the pile for a score. Eddy Pineiro added a 57-yard field goal before halftime.
Purdy went 15-of-27 for 297 yards and four touchdown passes. That gives him 10 total touchdowns through three games, tied for the most in franchise history at this point of a season. He also leads the league with a 95.5 QB rating.
Injuries Test the 49ers
The win came at a cost. Evans left with a rib injury. Trent Williams was carted off with what the team called a stinger. Deommodore Lenoir was checked for a concussion but returned. The defense was also without Nick Bosa, and it showed on key third downs.
Still, San Francisco found a way. Even with a touchdown wiped off the board, the 49ers left Levi’s Stadium at 3-0, and Purdy left with a fresh joke to share with Kittle.
Brock Purdy Takes Playful Shot at George Kittle After 49ers Win