Griese, the 49ers' quarterback coach who will watch Purdy develop into a leader, first appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA – For what Brock Purdy has accomplished on the field for the 49ers, quarterbacks coach Brian Griese hopes the 24-year-old will take on an even more leadership role in his third NFL season. It seems there is.
Griez are already feeling the signs and are looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the upcoming 2024 season.
“I know it's never easy being the face of a franchise and the leader of an organization,” Griese said Wednesday during an OTA break. “It takes time to feel confident in the position, get used to it, and understand all the little things you do during the day, week, month that blend into the position.”
“The block is growing in the area. It's really amazing.”
Purdy is the first quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to the conference finals in two consecutive seasons. The 49ers won last season's NFC Finals, but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime in Super Bowl 53.
Purdy became known nationally as Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 draft, but he also became popular in the Bay Area thanks to his on-field ability. He passed for a single-season franchise record and career-high 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns while earning a passer rating of 113.0 last year.
The focus is on purdying what he does best while cleaning up his mistakes ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“I think that progression, footwork, how you manage the game, situational awareness, those are things that every quarterback has to continue to improve on and I think he can continue to improve,” Griese said. “It's a confidence thing. There's a lot of that when you first get here. It's hard to be proactive and demonstrative and be a leader when you're really thinking about your job because you're so mentally confused. I've definitely seen Brock grow in those areas and he's got to continue to grow.”
This offseason looks set to be pivotal for Purdy, as he's had health issues the past two years but is mostly healthy this time around, which will be a huge benefit come training camp rollaround.
Griese specifically cited Purdy's timing and footwork as areas he has improved as a quarterback. He hasn't been able to focus much on these issues this offseason due to injuries.
“It's definitely going to be an advantage for Brock to stay healthy during the offseason,” Griese said. “It's hard to practice timing, footwork and timing as a quarterback when you're not throwing the ball.”
Assistant head coach/defense coach Brandon Staley, who coached against Purdy during joint training camp practices and games while with the Los Angeles Chargers, believes the quarterback is more than capable of expanding his leadership responsibilities.
“He has the ability to lift the team up,” Staley said. “He's a gym-goer and he can influence the whole team, not just the way he plays, the way he prepares, the way he works, the way he coaches. I'm looking forward to teaming up with him. is”
Griese is satisfied with Purdy's performance so far and is looking forward to his continued success.
“Understanding his role, understanding the mental side of it, understanding how close we were last year, understanding that there's an edge and a sense of urgency and making it better as a team as a whole. I understand my role in helping leverage that for the benefit of others,” Gries said. “We've seen growth in all of these areas.”
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