That win on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals was fantastic! The San Francisco 49ers won against the Cardinals with a score of 41-22.  It was great to see Brock Purdy back in the saddle and leading the team to victory. However, as the excitement settles, there’s a definite shift happening in the wide receiver room, and it looks like Kendrick Bourne might be the odd man out.

Our SF49ers X account posted a hilarious, yet telling, old quote:

“Kendrick Bourne told George Kittle to get locked up on purpose so he can steal a target.”

While it was funny, the sentiment feels very real right now. It seems Bourne’s increased role, which was a nice surprise for a bit, has pretty much vanished into thin air since the return of George Kittle.

The resurfaced exchange included Kittle commenting, “I’m not sharing any targets, talk to Purdy,” and Bourne replying, “broooooooooooo when u the number 1 read get locked up on purpose then @brock.purdy13 gonna go to his second read. ME 😂,” which only sharpened the context around his frustration.

Bourne’s IG caption circulating with the post “When u do no work on the group project and still get a A+. LORD IS THE PROVIDER 😂🙏✝️🙏” added further fuel to the discussion over his disappearing role.

In the Cardinals’ game with the 49ers, Bourne was held without a single catch and, more telling, wasn’t even targeted once. With Brock Purdy back, the quarterback understandably prioritized his most established and trusted options: George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and the offense’s centerpiece, Christian McCaffrey. The established chemistry with these guys is clearly winning out.

Looking at the weeks ahead, it’s becoming very difficult to justify Bourne having a significant part in the passing attack. Not only are Kittle and Jennings back to full health, but even the return of rookie Ricky Pearsall (who managed one catch in Arizona) crowds the field. With a full complement of primary weapons, the number of opportunities for Bourne to be a key offensive contributor has shrunk to nearly nothing.

Kendrick Bourne gets sidelined amid Brock Purdy and George Kittle’s partnership

Brock Purdy is officially back as the starting quarterback, taking over from Mac Jones, who honestly did a fantastic job keeping the team alive while Purdy was hurt for the first half of the season. In his return against the Arizona Cardinals, Purdy didn’t miss a beat. He threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns, completing 19 of his 26 passes. Running back Christian McCaffrey, who also scored three touchdowns himself, was absolutely thrilled, telling ESPN:

“He was vintage Brock, and that’s a huge compliment. It’s really hard to come back in the middle of the year. To be out that long and come back and do what he did today is extremely impressive.”

Mac Jones only came in at the very end to take a few kneel-downs and run out the clock. With Brock Purdy back under center, one thing was immediately clear: his bond with tight end George Kittle is totally locked in. It didn’t take them long to look like one of the most dangerous pairs in the NFC. Right in the first quarter, Purdy hit Kittle for a 30-yard touchdown to take a big 13-0 lead.

Kittle had a huge day, finishing with six catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns. The veteran was quick to praise his QB after the game, saying Purdy brings an “infectious” joy to the game that makes it “so much fun to play football with him.”

Their two touchdowns together weren’t just great plays, they were historic! That marks the 23rd touchdown connection between Brock Purdy and Kittle, which actually pushes them past legends Steve Young and Brent Jones for the second-most quarterback-to-tight-end touchdowns in 49ers history.