“I’ve just got to play better,” Brock Purdy had admitted after a frustrating 28-18 loss to the Chiefs in Week 7 last season. But the 49ers’ struggles that day went deeper than just quarterback play. Major offensive weapons were missing for the 49ers. Deebo Samuel was out with an illness. Jauan Jennings was dealing with a hip injury. And Brandon Aiyuk? His season ended early with a devastating ACL and MCL tear. That left San Francisco scrambling for help in the receiver room. Fast forward to this year, and the injury bug still hasn’t gone. 

49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk has been rehabbing with no set return date this season. Rookie Jordan Watkins has a high-ankle sprain and will miss about a month. Jauan Jennings has been sidelined by a calf injury. And Ricky Pearsall? He began camp on the PUP list, only recently returning to practice at partial speed. As if that wasn’t enough, veteran WR Demarcus Robinson might be missing games due to a looming suspension. And then came the preseason opener with a 30-9 loss to the Broncos. It added yet another layer of frustration for the 49ers and the Faithful. So, how’s QB Brock Purdy been handling all this?

Recently, Brock Purdy joined Keiana Martin on CBS Sports from the 49ers’ training camp to reveal his thoughts on the 49ers’ offseason so far. Martin began with a friendly question about his extended offseason. “It was different for sure… having an early offseason to recover,” Purdy said. He revealed that he’d been nursing a minor elbow injury. The time off let him heal, reflect, and set new goals. “We got the chip on the shoulder again… we’re all like, ‘Man, we’ve got to go prove it’s not given to us every year.’” But when Martin shifted the conversation to on-field chemistry, Purdy’s tone changed. 

Keiana Martin asked Brock Purdy about how it felt trying to build timing with receivers when so many were injured. And his answer came out blunt: “Yeah, I mean obviously as a quarterback all that matters most is you know offseason, OTAs, camp… getting the routes on air, competing against the defense with the guys that obviously you’re going to be throwing the ball to in season. So, it can be frustrating, you know, when guys are dealing with, you know, little injuries and things like that.” But the quarterback didn’t dwell on it, though. 

Brock Purdy further stressed that his focus stays on execution. “I just try to go out there every single day, do my job… get to my answer within every play.” Even with missing targets, he’s intent on running the offense as coaches Kyle Shanahan, Klay Kubiak, and Mick Lombardi have designed it. Still, you have to wonder – how much will all these absences test his patience once the season starts? As if the injuries weren’t enough, Purdy now also has to deal with an unflattering verdict from the annual quarterback rankings.

Brock Purdy takes a tumble down the annual QB rankings 

Not long after signing a five-year, $265 million extension with $181 million guaranteed, Brock Purdy learned that ESPN’s QB ranking left him out of the top 10 for the 2025 season.  Now, The Athletic’s Mike Sando released his annual QB Tiers. Last year, Brock Purdy was 12th. What about this year?

Well, the 49ers quarterback slipped to 14th position in Tier 2. The explanation? “A Tier 2 quarterback can carry his team sometimes, but not as consistently. He can handle pure-passing situations in doses and/or possesses other dimensions that are special enough to elevate him above Tier 3. He has a hole or two in his game.” Is that fair? Kyle Posey of the Niners Nation thinks so. 

Kyle Posey recently called Brock Purdy “one of the upper-echelon quarterbacks in the league” and argued that whether he’s ninth or 12th hardly matters. But critics say the 49ers overpaid to lock Purdy up. The quarterback’s resume, though, tells another story. He’s a former MVP finalist who led San Francisco to within one play of a Super Bowl win in February 2024. So, has Purdy been graded more harshly because he’s no longer on a rookie contract? Fair or not, expectations change when you sign for $265 million. But if there’s one thing Purdy knows how to do, it’s turn criticism into fuel.

On the latest edition of The Richard Sherman Podcast, Brock Purdy sent a clear message to doubters: Everybody’s going to have something to say… I’ve had the chip on my shoulder, and I go prove myself every single year. And so, that’s just where I’m at.” Purdy knows that rankings will always stir debate, but in the grand scheme, they’re just noise.

Moreover, what matters is winning games for the quarterback. If Brock Purdy thrives this season despite all the noise, the critics will have to find something else to talk about. Until then, he’ll keep doing what he says he does best – showing up, putting in the work, and letting the results speak for themselves.