“Unlocking the Truth: Shanahan’s Bold Clarification on Purdy’s Surprising Third Season Performance”

As the San Francisco 49ers navigate their way through the tumultuous waters of the 2023 NFL season, all eyes are squarely on quarterback Brock Purdy. With a record that’s balanced on the see-saw of success and disappointment, the atmosphere in Santa Clara is electric with anticipation, plus a sprinkle of skepticism. Coach Kyle Shanahan, ever the guiding hand, is taking a moment to spotlight Purdy’s journey, defending his performance as he confronts whispers of regression. Purdy, who once illuminated the field and steered the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII, finds himself in a season where numbers might not shine as brightly, particularly after a lackluster showing against the Seahawks. Yet, Shanahan maintains a resolute belief that if a few more plays had broken their way, we’d be singing a different tune altogether. This saga raises the stakes not just for the team but for Purdy himself, who now faces a critical juncture in his growth as a promising signal-caller. Will he rise to the occasion in these nail-biting moments, or will the pressure mount in ways we haven’t yet seen? The next few games could redefine everything for him. Want to dive deeper into the discussion? LEARN MORE.

“I think Brock’s doing a lot of good things,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “But we’re all going to be judged on winning games, and that’s why our team’s got to find a better way to win it there in the fourth so we can get our record right.”While the current season doesn’t quite reflect Purdy continuing to progress in his third NFL season, Shanahan believes that if just a few more things went right for the 49ers, everyone would be singing a much different tune.“Yeah, it’s hard to make a lot of progress after the way he played last year,” Shanahan said. “And it was hard to make a lot of progress after the way he played seven games in his first year. So I think Brock’s playing at the exact same level. I think there’s different circumstances around him.If Purdy had close to the same statistics and the 49ers had not pilfered away three fourth-quarter leads, Shanahan believes the quarterback’s storyline would be much different — but there are a few notable measurables.Purdy’s 159 total yards passing in San Francisco’s 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks is his lowest total of the season and the second lowest of his career. Purdy only threw for fewer yards when he completed 12 of his 27 attempts for 125 yards in Week 6 of the 2023 season in a 19-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns.SANTA CLARA — Heading into Week 12 with a .500 record, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is trying to keep everything in perspective, including his quarterback.“I think it’s such a fine line,“ Shanahan said. “We’re a 5-5 team, which isn’t where we want to be … You ask a question about Brock, but I think if we were 8-2 with a top offense in the league and stuff, I think we’d be feeling a lot better.The coach explained that four of the 49ers’ 10 games have been decided in the final two possessions. Of those games, the 49ers have won only one in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If they had been able to close out those remaining three games, the 49ers would be sitting at 8-2, and no one would be questioning the progress of the 49ers signal-caller.Shanahan continues to be confident in Purdy, who has changed his game by adding a running element to his on-field play. The quarterback has been able to keep drives alive with his legs, but Shanahan would like to see him distribute the ball around the field more.“And so, I try to keep perspective of that, especially with our guys. And to me that’s come all the way down to how we finish games.” “I still think it’s going to come down to the same stuff. I bet these next seven games come down to the fourth quarter, and we either get it done or we don’t. We’ve got to find a way to get it done.”“In contrast, you look at a team like Green Bay, they’ve had seven games come down to the last possession and they’ve won six of them, with the only one they lost being the opening game versus Philly. And that’s why they have such a good record.”Brock Purdy had an incredibly productive 2023 NFL season, helping San Francisco reach Super Bowl LVIII while leading the league in multiple quarterback metrics.Download and follow the 49ers Talk PodcastShanahan dispels notion Purdy has regressed in third 49ers season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area“Our team hasn’t been quite as good through this,” Shanahan said. “But a couple plays here and there, and I think we’re looking at it totally differently and that’s why we’ve put ourselves in the hole, and that’s why we’ve made it a lot harder for ourselves here at this back half.”