“I think for sure I’m a top 10 quarterback.” With these simple words, Brock Purdy became his own hype man. This confidence boost is a breath of fresh air for a franchise that’s gone all-in on their QB. But when the 49ers handed Purdy a five-year, $265 million contract extension, many wondered if the ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ turned franchise star would let the money go to his head. In a league where big contracts change everything, Purdy’s teammates, including Mac Jones, have spoken up about their QB. 

What would you do if you woke up $265 million richer? For most, it’s fantasy – visions of yachts, luxury cars, and a new persona. But for Brock Purdy, the answer is refreshingly simple. Keep showing up, keep grinding, and maybe, just maybe, buy a bass fishing boat. He’s bringing this same humility to the locker room as well, and Mac Jones and Tanner Mordecai are eager to follow his lead.

Mordecai and Jones both showed up at the latest edition of the Tight End University. And it was here they talked about the guy they will be serving as backups for. As Jones put it, “He hasn’t changed at all. We went out and played golf, and he’s going to be the same guy. He’s someone I can learn from and grow with.” Jones, entering his 5th season in the NFL and the first one with the 49ers, is looking forward to watching Purdy in action and being a sponge. As for Tanner Mordecai entering his second season with Purdy, the observation is the same. As Mordecai put it, “Brock is salt of the earth. Super genuine dude. And money would definitely never change him.” And to think, there was a time when Purdy almost gave up on football as a career.

Purdy’s journey has been full of ups and downs, but through it all, his goal to ball out has never changed. As the man himself noted, “I mean, I think for me it’s how can I… push myself every single to day to obviously get better, both what I’m putting on tape and then just who I am as a human coming in here and elevating the guys around me more than anything is how can I… master my craft at quarterback and do my job really well to help this team win.” With this energy, he’s bringing a shift in the locker room. He’s still the same Mr.-nice-guy, but as 49ers TE George Kittle noticed, Purdy is “more vocal to everybody in team settings, which is huge.” And it’s not just Kittle who’s all praises for his franchise QB.

Brock Purdy inspiring the locker room

The signs of greatness were clear for Purdy from the moment he joined the team. Although no one knew how his talent would translate on the field, he showed out the first chance he got. 49ers veteran linebacker Fred Warner had noted back in 2023, “I had confidence in him, but you never really know until you throw him in the fire. For anybody to say they knew all along that he would do what he did fully, nobody could have seen that. That was clearly him and a credit to the way that he worked and his poise. Appearing in just 9 regular-season matches, Brock Purdy then went on to give the team a little bit of postseason glory as well. And that fire is lighting up the locker room even now.

Mac Jones, for one, has been particularly impressed with Purdy’s preparations for the league. Purdy’s X-factor, as Jones saw it, is the flair of a perfectionist. “He’s very meticulous about how he goes about his work. I’ve known him for a decent amount of time, but to really get close with him and see how he operates and he’s Type-A, very organized and he wants everything to be perfect.” Jones is also inspired by Purdy’s tenacity and drive to be great every single day. But Purdy isn’t just serious and all about success. As Mordecai notes, Purdy also finds moments to share laughs with his team in between the grind.

For the Niners, last season was marred with injuries across the board. Purdy even had to miss two games dealing with a shoulder and elbow injury. 2024 was the first time since 2020 the team didn’t see the playoffs. But the team is confident Purdy can deliver another explosive season like ‘23. The stage got a whole lot bigger with the $265 million contract. Many names had to be moved away for this deal to come through. But the Niners seem determined to show the league why they bet big on their QB this season.