San Francisco 49ers Media Conference

Sunday, January 28, 2024

San Francisco, California, USA

Brock Purdy

Postgame Press Conference


49ers 34, Lions 31

Q. You made a number of plays scrambling. Most we've seen. Does that kind of define who you are as a player?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, I mean, obviously my job is to distribute the ball to guys that are open. Then if something is not there, especially in this kind of game, you got to find a way.

I feel like throughout my life I've scrambled and stuff here and there. Since I've been here, I feel like I haven't done it a whole lot. Obviously tonight, I was just trying to keep the chains moving, keep the ball moving forward, then obviously give our team some momentum and some juice.

I had to do it so I did it, yeah.

Q. What was your view of the BA catch and how it all unfolded? What did that do for you guys?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, I mean, obviously to have an explosive play like that was huge in that moment. We needed it to get down the field pretty quick. We were still down I think two touchdowns.

In that moment it was, All right, here is a shot, an opportunity for BA. It was a single high. Safety didn't get back or anything, sort of stayed flat-footed. Our offense in that play, you can expect your receiver to get on top and trust him.

The corner did a good job with actually staying on top, then tipped it up. BA did a great job with tracking the ball all the way and making a huge play for us, man. He's a baller. That was clutch on his part.

Q. When you were down by so much at halftime, what was your message to the team?

BROCK PURDY: No one was rah-rah. No one was freaking out. It's football. There's a lot of experienced guys on this team, veterans that have been in crazy situations. Everyone was, All right, we just got to do our job straight up. Offense has to move the ball. We got to put up points, convert on third downs. Defense get some stops. That was about it. There wasn't much said.

Kyle said a couple things. Fred said a couple things. We kept it simple. Went out. We all knew what we had to do. Season is on the line, down 17. Everybody stepped up. We played good, complementary team football from there.

Q. Could have been obviously an interception to BA. Do you consider the fine line of Purdy threw a horrible pass, Purdy threw the pass that changed the game?

BROCK PURDY: In that moment I'm looking at it like we need a play. I'm not going to be stupid and just throw the ball up. BA is one on one. I'm going to take that up. Especially in this kind of game, we need that kind of play.

Yeah, so people can say what they want. I was giving my guy a shot and it worked out.

Q. Last week, this week, you seem to do well with your backs against the wall. What does that say about the resiliency?

BROCK PURDY: It's just character, man. The love, the brotherhood, it's real. It's the NFL. I guess you could say it's a business. But guys care about each other in this locker room, what we've been through. We got a core group of guys that have been here for the last couple years. The standard and culture that they've built, the guys that Kyle and John brings in, everyone fits that mold.

It showed tonight in a huge moment. If you're down 17, you got to care about each other, care about each other to get a comeback going. I think we showed that tonight. I'm really proud of this group.

Q. What happened on the interception?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, stepped up, wasn't the look that we really thought we were going to get. I went to try to rip one to Deebo over the middle. From what I can remember, there was a hand that hit my ball, the ball got tipped and floated up to the linebacker.

Q. Talk about celebrating with your teammates when the clock hit zero.

BROCK PURDY: It's huge. Obviously just the feeling of redemption, coming back. It's huge, man. For all of us, what we went through last year, this whole year has been crazy. You go through highs, you go through lows, this game the season is on the line, you're down 17, then to see the clock hit zero and you're up, it's special to all of us.

Obviously we have one more job that's not finished. I can't tell you guys how proud I am of the team to fight.

Q. Did you feel the momentum start to shift when they went for it on fourth and two and didn't make it?

BROCK PURDY: You could definitely feel it. Everybody knew we were all trying to get back into it. So when the defense got a stop like that, obviously the stadium erupted. Then everyone on offense, when we were jogging out there, All right, it's our time, this is the momentum we've been looking for. Our team created that as a whole.

As an offense, we got to do our part and pick up the defense after they just got that stop. We all felt it.

Q. The way your season ended last year, what's it like to be able to come out and perform like you did in an NFC Championship game?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, I mean, obviously this was just like the next game up. You look back a year ago, got hurt, which sucks. You go through the whole rehab process, all of it. It's been a long year, but at the same time it's been pretty quick.

For me, I try to enjoy every single day, enjoy these guys, enjoy the wins, enjoy honestly the lows that come with it. You got to learn from that kind of stuff. Obviously to pull a comeback like that in the NFC Championship and play, it's special for me.

Like I said, we still got one more to go. To have a performance like that, like we did as a team, was huge. We're always going to remember that.

Q. Thoughts on the Chiefs, Mahomes?

BROCK PURDY: What a challenge. You got Mahomes, what he does, their team, they're special. They're winners. They've proven that over however many years he's been there. For us to go back and play them is going to be sweet, special for all of us.

I wasn't here obviously in '19. You could just tell the guys that have been here, like, anybody, it would be special for them to play these guys. I'm excited to be a part of it.

Q. There was a flag there, did you immediately know that's a catch?

BROCK PURDY: I'm sorry, what play?

Q. The deep throw, there was a flag. Did he catch it? Did you know that's a catch or some confusion?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, I saw the flag go up for sure. Then I heard the whole stadium erupt. I see BA curled up around the ball. Oh, my gosh, he caught that.

After that, we're all jogging down. I'm like, dang. We're all trying to figure out if he scored or not, got touched. When I saw him catch that, I was like that's insane.

At the end of the day, like I said, I was just trying to give him an op, man. Huge play, one on one, we need a play, explosive. Here is one of our best receivers to go down and make a clutch play for us. So yeah...

Q. How did your personal journey over the last couple of years get you ready for this game but the second half in particular?

BROCK PURDY: Yeah, honestly I think it's a testament to God, where he's taken me in life. I've never been the biggest, fastest, strongest, any of that. I feel like I've always had to sort of fight for what I get, work for what I get.

But God's always given me an opportunity, whether that was in high school, college, then obviously in the NFL. Getting drafted last, people overlook you, that kind of stuff. All you need is an opportunity, watch and see what he does. I put my faith and trust in Him. He's gotten me to where I'm at.

When I'm down 17 at half, All right, God, you've taken me here, win or lose I'm going to glorify you. That's my peace, that is the joy, steadfastness. That is where I get it from. That is the honest truth. I leaned into that. Sure enough, we were able to come back.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
140843-1-1004 2024-01-29 04:42:00 GMT

ASAP sports

tech 129