Brock Purdy has been repeatedly praised for his calm, even-keeled demeanor on the football field, but when the 49ers’ quarterback faced a new obstacle Thursday night, his mentality was briefly challenged.
The second-year pro threw the first pick-six of his NFL career in San Francisco’s 31-13 victory on Thanksgiving over the Seattle Seahawks, but he made it clear that even as he faces a new form of adversity, his mentality can’t change.
“Obviously we were up by three points, and then we gave them one like that, so now it’s a two-goal game,” Purdy told reporters at Lumen Field after the game. “So, it’s real now. And I felt like the game was back in play, in terms of them getting back into the game. So, for me, I’ve got to be smart on the ball, but at the same time, I still have to have that aggressive edge to myself and not I’m afraid of tearing things up in tight windows and moving the ball and getting a first down and scoring touchdowns.
“That’s where I was with my mindset going forward. Obviously it was bad – I had to learn from it. But in terms of who I am and playing in this position, that can’t change. So, that’s what I had to keep telling myself.”
On the 49ers’ first possession of the second half, Purdy threw a pass to Christian McCaffrey, but the 49ers running back blocked the ball, which landed in the hands of Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Brooks then raced 12 yards into the end zone to pull Seattle within 24-10 with 11:23 remaining in the third quarter.
However, Purdy responded midway through the fourth quarter with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk — which the QB cut into a tight window between four defenders — to put the Seahawks away for good.
San Francisco improved to 8-3 on the season, and with Purdy’s consistent, resilient mentality, will hope things continue the rest of the way.
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