From the moment the 49ers selected quarterback Brock Purdy with the 262nd and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, he has consistently done things the right way.
And Friday was another example of him demonstrating his leadership and sound decision-making.
Sure, Purdy and his agent, Kyle Strongin, could have tried to squeeze the 49ers during contract negotiations.
And with a little more pressure applied and leverage exerted, Purdy probably could have worked his way up a few more spots among the top-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
But with organized team activities set to begin in another week, the time was right for him to get a deal done.
He did not hold out. He did not cause any drama. And there was certainly no negative vibes during the four months it took for the sides to agree to terms on a contract that leaves no doubt about where Purdy stands in the estimations of coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
Purdy on Friday agreed to a five-year extension worth $265 million, according to sources.
The deal includes $100 million in fully guaranteed money at the time of signing, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area. The contract has $181 million in total guarantees with $165.05 million coming in the first three new years of a contract, reports Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
The contract presents a striking contrast to the pay scale at which Purdy played his first three NFL seasons. He earned $2.6 million (total) in three seasons.
Purdy came off the sideline as a rookie to take over permanently as the 49ers’ top quarterback in Week 13 of his rookie year after injuries to the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
In his first full season as the starter, Purdy led the NFL with a 113.0 passer rating. That figure also set the franchise record, as did his 4,280 yards passing during the 2023 season.
Purdy finished fourth in the NFL MVP voting. The 49ers became the first team in NFL history to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter and once in overtime and still lose a game. That game, of course, was their Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Purdy has a career passer rating of 104.9 in 36 career games. He does not have enough games to qualify to be ranked on the all-time list. Aaron Rodgers (102.6) and Patrick Mahomes (102.1) are first and second in NFL history.
In signing a contract that pays him an average of $53 million per season, Purdy may have left a few bucks on the table. Dallas’ Dak Prescott makes $60 million a season, followed by Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Green Bay’s Jordan Love at $55 million annually.
Still, CEO Jed York said recently he believes Purdy is a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. And the 49ers paid him as such. Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa checks in at $53.1 million annually, while Detroit’s Jared Goff and Purdy are tied for seventh on the list at $53 million.
Purdy’s new deal will keep him under contract to the 49ers through the 2030 season. It signals that he is secure as the team’s franchise quarterback, which makes him an even more attractive option for lucrative endorsement deals. After all, there is a lot of cachet that comes with being the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
It was clearly important to Purdy not to cause any kind of distraction this offseason.
That is why he showed up at the beginning of the team’s offseason program rather than create an uncomfortable situation and, perhaps, leverage with a holdout.
It was clear that the last thing he wanted to do was create any situation that could translate to negativity on the field.
Players do not get involved when it comes to teammates’ financial decisions. Everyone kept quiet a year ago as left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk did not suit up for one practice during training camp. But those situations had a noticeable impact on the energy level of the team last summer.
This offseason has been considerably less contentious when it comes to finances involving 49ers management and their top players. Tight end George Kittle got his contract extension done two weeks ago with no drama.
And you can be sure that Purdy’s mid-May contract agreement is viewed as an overwhelmingly positive development within the 49ers’ locker room.
Brock Purdy is the 49ers’ quarterback for now … and well into the future.
Now comes the part that is even more difficult.
The pressure will be on for him to earn it and play his part in getting the 49ers back among the top teams in the NFL.
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