Brock Purdy might be the San Francisco 49ers’ QB1 now, but back in his rookie year, he wasn’t about to test Deebo Samuel’s patience.
On Wednesday’s “Built 4 More” podcast, Purdy opened up about a hilarious moment when he avoided trash-talking Samuel during practice. The story highlights Purdy’s early days in San Francisco, where he was still finding his place behind the starters.
Purdy was a backup at the time, handling reps behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. That meant he often tossed passes to guys who didn’t get the ball from the starting QB, like Samuel. But while Samuel was throwing playful jabs his way, Purdy stayed quiet. That’s when Samuel called him out, asking why he was so afraid of him.
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Purdy revealed the whole story on the podcast.
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“You know, the backup quarterbacks at practice — like, we’ll get to a period where we’re just throwing routes on air and stuff, and the starting quarterback throws to the main guys,” Purdy said (Timestamp: 4:55) “But if a guy doesn’t get a ball, the backup quarterback is, like, you know, a couple yards behind the starter, and he throws him the ball.
“I would throw the ball to Deebo whenever he didn’t get it, and he’d toss it back, and then he, you know, just started talking trash to me, like, jokingly and stuff. And I would just, like, not say anything back. He’s like, ‘Bro, why are you so scared of me?’ And I was like, ‘Dude, you’re Deebo, like you’re the guy that I watched growing up! I don’t want to say the wrong thing!'”
According to Purdy, Samuel isn’t the average wide receiver and he’s built like a tank. The 6-foot, 215-pound’s physicality and presence make him one of the most intimidating weapons in the league. Fast forward to now, that respect for Samuel remains intact.
San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy in active talks
Contract talks between Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers are heating up. Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported Wednesday that both sides are actively negotiating, with a deal targeted before the 2025 season. While an extension isn’t imminent, this is a big development in what could be a tricky negotiation.
The 49ers first engaged in contract discussions with Purdy in February. Those ongoing talks deep into March could suggest San Francisco is working to avoid a last-minute deal dragging into training camp. The alternative, forcing Purdy to play out his rookie deal and using the franchise tag, would leave long-term uncertainty at the NFL’s most crucial position.
San Francisco has been down this road before. Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk both saw their deals stretch to the start of the season. But Brock Purdy seems motivated to lock in long-term security rather than maximizing every dollar. That could lead to a more team-friendly deal, giving the 49ers flexibility to retain key pieces.
Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
