For many athletes, being benched is a bitter pill to swallow. But it also comes with a certain freedom in relief, a kind that only a benched player can understand. However, with headlines swirling around the San Francisco 49ers‘ quarterback Brock Purdy’s skimpy form and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s bold decision, one wide receiver seems to have found that relief.

After weeks of speculation, Kendrick Bourne was handed an unfamiliar role: “the bench.” Now, the fans and people following the saga would have expected Bourne to be frustrated or share cryptic posts. Instead, the 30-year-old accepted his new role with ease and embraced it to learn and savor the journey. The same feelings were echoed in his Instagram post and its accompanying caption.

“RIDING ON THE BENCH RN BUT LIFE STILL LIT 😂 BIG DUBS! GOD IS GREAT! 🙏🏾✝️🙏🏾 8-4 LOVE THIS RECORD 😉,” Bourne’s caption read.

The post included pictures and videos of Bourne smiling, dancing, and posing with his wife, Vanessa Bourne, on the field.

The wide receiver didn’t record a reception or a target in the 49ers’ last two wins against the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers. In the 26‑42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Nov 9, Bourne had 1 catch for 19 yards. We must give credit to Bourne for his team-first mentality, a quality that resonates throughout the team’s locker room. At the same time, quarterback Brock Purdy also returned after his toe injury.

Purdy came back to show everyone why he is QB1 in the win against the Cardinals. His connection with George Kittle and Jauan Jennings made it seem like he did not miss any games. However, it did not go as planned for the quarterback in the win against the Panthers; nonetheless, he accepted responsibility and shouldered the blame alongside his teammates.

Brock Purdy opens up about his performance against the Panthers

Kyle Shanahan’s team improved its record to 8-4 after its 20-9 win against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Also, it was Purdy’s second game back after the injury, and he completed 23 of 32 passes for 193 yards and threw 1 TD and 3 INTs, which made headlines. He spoke about the three interceptions after the game.

“Honestly, the decisions of going to those spots, I was fine with,” Purdy said. “It’s just the execution of throwing a better ball. All of [the interceptions]. I need to just drive the ball a little bit more, and I kept it up in the air too long on multiple of them,” Purdy said. “That’s on me. I thought our receivers did a great job of getting separation and winning. So it’s just execution-wise.”

Furthermore, it’s good to see him assume the responsibility, and while some athletes might have blamed it on the injury, Purdy brushed it off.

“Toe is fine,” Purdy said. “It’s really just seeing the play develop, anticipating, and letting rip at the end of the day. It had nothing to do with my toe.”

It is safe to say that Purdy will be starting the next game, and Shanahan had no hesitation about his decision.

Whatever internal decisions Kyle Shanahan has taken seem to be working for the 49ers. They are now on a consecutive two-game winning streak and will be on the lookout to extend the streak against a struggling Cleveland Browns on November 30.