Kyle Shanahan Said The 49ers' Pursuit Of Tom Brady Was A Huge Compliment To Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers were oh so close to signing Tom Brady out of retirement to be their quarterback instead of Brock Purdy. While Purdy somewhat struggled with that news, head coach Kyle Shanahan viewed it as the ultimate compliment to their young quarterback.

Last season, Purdy tore his UCL in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. As he recovered, San Francisco tried to lure Tom Brady into playing one more year with his childhood team.

Shanahan told Pro Football Talk that the franchise was committed to Purdy in the long run. But he needed a viable option to start at quarterback if his injury didn’t heal in time for the beginning of the season.

Brock Purdy (13) and Kyle Shanahan (right) are one game away from winning the 49ers' first Super Bowl in 29 years. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

"I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment," Shanahan said. "I let him know he’s our guy long-term. No question. And if Tom Brady wanted to come here and start for one year, that’s the only way you’re not starting when you’re healthy this year. That’s pretty cool. I wanted to assure him, ‘Don’t worry. You’re our guy. But how cool would it be if Tom Brady would be the quarterback here for one season? How cool would it be for you to learn from him?’

Purdy held a rather mature perspective about the situation, but was motivated by it at the same time.

"I remember (Shanahan) saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we're going to try to get him," Purdy said, according to ESPN. "And I was like, 'Yeah, he's the GOAT. I get it.'

"But something deep down inside me was sort of like, 'Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system. And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.' ... More than anything, I was like, 'OK, now let's go.'"

Brock Purdy Rewarded Kyle Shanahan's Faith In Him

This season, Purdy proved the 49ers belief in him was justified. He vaulted himself into the league MVP conversation and engineered a historic comeback in the NFC Championship Game to get them into the Super Bowl.

Through it all, Purdy has remained grounded thanks in no small part to his faith, which he has discussed on multiple occasions.

The confidence, personal beliefs, and results have all combined to create the player we know as Brock Purdy. 

While landing Brady could have benefited Purdy’s career, Shanahan knows that he’s got a special player in his current quarterback.

"This is what I love about Brock. Last pick in the draft. Takes us to the conference championship game twice and this Super Bowl in two years," Shanahan said. "Getting talked about for MVP. And the dude, he doesn’t have to work at not listening to it or trying to stay humble or trying to not get caught up in how life is changing. You know why? He doesn’t care. He really has a true foundation and knows who he is and who he wants to be. That is rare for any human. He’s a special player. But this stuff … he’s a special guy."