Brock Purdy received new weapons this offseason after the San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wideouts Mike Evans and Christian Kirk. Moreover, while not having played with Kirk, Purdy is very familiar with the 29-year-old pass catcher.
Purdy is an Arizona native, as is Kirk, who spent the 2018 to 2021 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals to begin his NFL career. Because of that connection, Purdy said he followed Kirk’s career closely while he was playing in his home state.
While speaking to the media on April 20, Purdy shared his thoughts on the team signing Kirk to give him a reliable target, if the player can stay healthy.
“A guy that I followed really all throughout my career, just being an Arizona guy,” Purdy said (h/t Vic Tafur of The Athletic). “When I was growing up, and he was in high school, I was like, this guy’s a stud. I followed him when he went to Texas A&M and, just like I said, his career. So now to be able to play with him and what he brings to the room, just that guy, very smart.
“I think for his position at slot receiver and just how teams have used him, I’m excited that we get to now do that, too. More than anything, too, what he can bring to our locker room and the receiver room as a whole. And just his wisdom, maturity and that fire that he plays with, man. I’m really excited, you know, to have that guy with us. So it’s going to be good.”
Does 49ers QB Brock Purdy Get Enough Respect?
Purdy will need to stay healthy to get the football to his new targets, but the Niners’ passing game will likely be better than it was last season. Moreover, the 49ers’ signal-caller will continue to show that he’s one of the top QBs in the league.
Nonetheless, with Purdy already reaching a Super Bowl and leading the 49ers to multiple playoff appearances, the team’s fullback, Kyle Juszczyk, stated that the Niners’ quarterback isn’t receiving enough respect.
“I don’t know what it’s going to take for this guy to finally get the respect he truly deserves,” Juszczyk said on the April 10 edition of “The Jim Rome Show.” “Season in and season out, he plays tremendously, and I don’t know what it is.
“I don’t know if it’s the fact that he’s not a first-round draft pick, if that’s just going to be the story for his entire career and be held against him. But I love the guy as a person, as my quarterback, as a football player. He is the dude.”
Kyle Juszczyk Reveals What Makes Brock Purdy Great
Moreover, Juszczyk noted that what makes Purdy one of the league’s best signal-callers is his competitive edge. The 49ers’ fullback shared that the edge just doesn’t stay on the field, and it’s a trait Juszczyk wants in his quarterback.
“He’s a dude, “ Juszczyk noted. “We have so much fun with Brock, even when we’re not talking about football, just hanging out with the guy. He’s the ultimate competitor. After the season, a big group of us went down to Cabo, and it’s nonstop competition. We’re playing pool basketball. We’re playing bocce ball. There was one of those baseball nets you throw the ball into, and we’re using a football.
“You’ve got to play pig from the field and hit it in there. We’re playing golf together, and it’s always a competition. It’s just guys being guys, and I love that about Brock. I love that in my quarterback. I want the most competitive person in the world as my quarterback, and I think that’s exactly what we have in Brock.”
49ers QB Brock Purdy Shares True Thoughts on Christian Kirk