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San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams has been impressed with Brock Purdy’s unlikely rise under center.
“It’s like playing the lottery and hitting the Powerball when it’s at $2 billion,” Williams said, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic.
Purdy was selected with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
His unlikely rise saw him emerge as the 49ers’ starter throughout their playoff run last season, leading the team to the NFC Championship game before he suffered a torn UCL.
This season, Purdy has thrown for 2,329 yards in nine starts while completing 68.8 percent of his passes. He’s tossed 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions, while his 9.3 yards per attempt is the highest mark of any starting quarterback.
Meanwhile, Williams has continued to protect Purdy’s blind side with the 10-time Pro Bowl tackle maintaining his status as one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL. Pro Football Focus has given Williams an impressive 82.2 grade in 2023, allowing zero sacks in 421 snaps this season.
The 49ers currently have a record of 6-3, holding a narrow lead for first place in the NFC West over the 6-3 Seattle Seahawks. With a perfect 2-0 division record, San Francisco holds a slight edge over the Seahawks.
Purdy is coming off one of his best performances of the season, throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns during the 49ers’ 34-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan was pleased with his quarterback’s aggressive mindset, even though it resulted in some risky passes.
“I want a guy who gives us a chance to win the game, not a guy who’s just hoping everyone else wins it for him,” Shanahan said on KNBR’s “Tolbert and Copes” show (3:27 mark). “That’s where you want it to start. But I am not worried at all about Brock not being that guy. Brock makes plays. He lets it rip. He’s done that since the first game he got in, in Miami, halfway through, and he’s done it every game since.”
Purdy’s next opportunity to begin a new winning streak comes on Sunday, when the 49ers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
