The San Francisco 49ers boast a storied quarterback lineage featuring Hall of Famers like Joe Montana and Steve Young. For a young quarterback like Brock Purdy, that legacy brings significant pressure as he strives to make his own mark in the NFL and bring multiple championships to the organization and its fans.
Now in his third season with the 49ers, Purdy has had opportunities to meet Montana and Young. His conversations with Young have been particularly insightful, including a podcast interview the two participated in for 49ers.com.
"Steve Young, I think, was the first guy that I met, and just absolutely awesome," Purdy said on the Built 4 More podcast. "We sat down, did a little podcast thing for the Niners. But the wisdom that he gave me out of the podcast, just in terms of handling the offense and processing, he's like, 'That's the it factor.' It's not anything else.
"And he goes, 'If you can continue to push yourself, with processing plays and defenses and all that kind of stuff mentally, that's what separated all of us, from Joe to me to all the other guys. And so, awesome guy."
Since that first meeting, Purdy and Young have continued their conversations, and the young quarterback deeply appreciates the guidance the 49ers legend provides.
As for Montana, Purdy admits he was a bit starstruck when they met. Growing up, Purdy's father was a Miami Dolphins fan, and Purdy wears No. 13 in honor of Dan Marino. While his dad watched Marino set passing records, he also watched Montana win Super Bowls.
"And then Joe, I think I met on the field before the Chiefs [game] one time, during a regular-season game," Purdy recalled. "And I was just starstruck. I just couldn't even believe that that was Joe Montana. My dad grew up watching this guy and all the Super Bowls that he brought to San Francisco. Very humble, humble guy, not about himself."
Purdy understands the weight of the legacy left by those who came before him and is ready to embrace the challenge while carving out his own path, determined to add his own chapter to the 49ers' storied history.
"Both of those guys—tremendous," Purdy said. "But it's tough, dude, being in the shoes that I am now, and the pressure of these guys that have brought in championships back home to San Francisco. And not comparing myself to their style of play, but like what they did for the city and everything, that's more of like the pressure that I feel."
Still, Purdy's faith keeps him grounded, reminding him not to measure his journey against those who came before him.
"I can't just look at myself and wish that I had what they had," Purdy added. "God's writing my story a certain way, and I'm going to continue to just worship Him within that."
You can listen to Purdy's entire interview below.
