SANTA CLARA – As Brock Purdy charges into his first Super Bowl, he has sought counsel from all corners of the 49ers’ locker room, as well as advice from Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Steve Young and Kurt Warner.
“All I can say is, man, the leadership and the experience with these guys here, you can tell how much the guys are hungry for one,” Purdy said Friday, “because you never know when an opportunity like this comes around.”
Patrick Mahomes, Purdy’s counterpart in next Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII, will be playing for the Lombardi Trophy for the fourth time in five seasons.
Purdy has yet to formally meet Mahomes, but that could change at Monday night’s media showcase at Allegiant Stadium, when the defending champion Chiefs are followed by the favored 49ers. “Obviously, I respect the heck out of who he is as a player and what he’s done in the league,” Purdy said. “He’s fun to watch.”
The 49ers are handling this week’s practices (Thursday through Saturday) as if they’re playing this Sunday, all so they can nail down coach Kyle Shanahan’s game plan before resuming workouts next week at UNLV’s training complex.
“We all understand the stage this game is going to be played on,” Purdy said. “You don’t want to get to Vegas with all the stuff getting in the way and let stuff on the outside get in the way. The vets have harped on how every moment this week is huge.”
In Kansas City, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told Kansas City reporters how “thoroughly, thoroughly impressed” he is by studying Purdy’s film.
“We had some crossover (game) film during the year, but when you dive into it and watch him, this is not a quarterback that is ‘managing’ or all those tabs they put on him. He’s for real,” Spagnuolo said. “He makes all the throws, is really, really smart, and then what I didn’t know, because I’m not seeing enough of it, is how athletic he is.
“This is another quarterback when you cover everything back there, he finds a pass rush lane and can take off,” Spagnuolo added. “He did that last week and has done it in every playoff game to get positive yards. That puts a lot of strain on us, defensively.”
Purdy ran for four times for 51 yards Sunday before taking a knee on the final snap of the 49ers’ NFC Championship comeback win.
His first extensive action as a pro came against the Chiefs on Oct. 23, 2022, when he replaced Jimmy Garoppolo for the 49ers’ final series of a 44-23 blowout loss; Purdy was 4-of-6 for 66 yards and his 10-snap cameo ended with an end-zone interception.
THE PURDY ORIGIN STORY
About three months earlier, as training camp began, Purdy emerged onto the 49ers brass’ radar, with coach Kyle Shanahan first confiding in general manager John Lynch about Purdy’s potential. Then Purdy divulged that glowing scouting report with 49ers CEO Jed York, who relished revealing it during Thursday’s media session.
“I was there when he told Jed that, and my jaw hit the floor,” Lynch said Friday. “He’d told me that but, Kyle often runs things by me if they’re crazy. Kyle and I had been talking. We liked Brock early. But it was in a really limited fashion that what we’d seen.”
Purdy beat out Nate Sudfeld for the No. 3 role behind 2022 season-opening starter Trey Lance and veteran incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy has not missed a start since replacing an injured Garoppolo in a Dec. 4, 2022 win against Miami.
“We had a hunch we had a chance to have something special,” Lynch added. “… Looking back and all, that’s fun, but Kyle was fairly prophetic that day, because he’s turned into a pretty special player for us and we’re really pleased about that.”
Shanahan’s lust was hidden from Purdy, at least until he proved himself as the 49ers’ starter late last season. “Over time, honestly, I didn’t really know. Ever,” Purdy recalled. “I was going through the preseason games and he wasn’t saying much.”
At the time, Purdy noted how Shanahan and all quarterbacks were focused getting Trey Lance ready as the season-opening starter, in succession of Jimmy Garoppolo.
“When the season sort of came around and I found out I made the team, I was like, ‘OK, I think he respect the way I play and how I handle things, and that was really about it,” Purdy added. “Then I got my opportunity against Miami. Then we sort of talked after that. That’s sort of when he started telling me, ‘Hey, since you’ve been here, you’ve been doing everything right.’ ”
KITTLE’S TOE TALK
Tight end George Kittle (toe) and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, knee) missed their second straight practice, but both avoided an injury designation for the Super Bowl and are fully expected to play.
“Taking a page out of my hockey friends’ playbook, I would say it’s a lower-extremity injury,” said Kittle, who downplayed any concern over it.
Cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) and linebacker Oren Burks (shoulder) were limited. Defensive tackle Kalia Davis (ankle) is questionable whether he’ll come off Injured Reserve.
The 49ers will hold a closed-door walk-through practice Saturday, then leave for the San Jose Mineta International Airport on Sunday, likely between 2-4 p.m.
DEFENSIVE EFFORT PANNED
Both defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and general manager John Lynch took great exception to the 49ers’ poor, defensive pursuits on two touchdown runs by the Detroit Lions. “Collectively as a defense, it’s unacceptable. We talk about that,” Wilks said. “We have to make sure we play every down as if it’s going to be the difference in the ballgame.”
Added Lynch: “Effort’s a non-negotiable. That’s one of our core values. I believe that in my heart of hearts. … Those things have been addressed. We’ve got one game. I’d really be shocked if we saw that again”
CHIEFS PRACTICE REPORT
Former 49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu was officially ruled out of the Super Bowl because of a season-ending knee injury in the Chiefs’ AFC Championship win in Baltimore.
Questionable are wide receiver Skyy Moore (knee), guard Joe Thuney (pectoral) and offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho (quadriceps); Thuney has not practiced all week.
Limited Friday were Moore, Wanogho, running back Isaiah Pacheco (toe, ankle) and defensive tackle Chris Jones (quadriceps).
KUBIAK ON MOVE
Klint Kubiak, in his first season as the 49ers’ pass-game specialist, went through practice as normal, even after an ESPN report earlier Thursday that he’s in line to become the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator. General manager John Lynch said he was not in position to confirm Kubiak’s plans. He held a similar role last season with the Denver Broncos and was the 2021 Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator. Last year, the 49ers saw pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik leave to become the Houston Texans’ offensive coordinator.