Brock Purdy addresses 49ers' interest in Tom Brady for 2023 season

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and head coach Kyle Shanahan both previously confirmed Shanahan wanted to sign living legend Tom Brady after Purdy suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during the NFC Championship Game held in January 2023.

Purdy addressed the topic during a recent conversation with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

"I totally understood the fact Kyle and the team needed a quarterback for the next season," Purdy explained. "So when he said 'Tom Brady,' I was like, all right, that’s cool for your sake as a head coach, and for a team, to bring in the best of all time. But a little bit of me was like, all right, I’d just proven that I beat this guy this past year and that I’m good enough to take our team to, at the time, it was the NFC Championship (Game). You know, I can obviously be the guy for this organization."

In Purdy's first career NFL regular-season start that he made in December 2022, he thoroughly outplayed Brady en route to guiding the 49ers to a blowout 35-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, it was unknown when a retired Brady became an available free agent in March 2023 how Purdy would recover from the type of physical setback that could've sidelined him for most or all of a campaign.

"Yeah, I get it," Purdy continued about Shanahan's interest in Brady. "(Shanahan) was saying, we’d bring him in and you could heal up and then learn from the best of all time and then be the guy to come in after. So I get the compliment of it, but at the same time, man, I’m ready to play right now and help this team win right now. So there’s two sides of it for sure."

It's worth noting there's been no indication Brady ever seriously considered ending his second playing retirement to feature for San Francisco. He's set to become Fox's new lead in-game NFL analyst this coming season, while Purdy recovered in time to start Week 1 last September before he ultimately helped the 49ers complete a trip to Super Bowl LVIII.

Assuming he stays healthy and enjoys another stellar campaign, Purdy could put pen to paper on a massive contract extension next offseason. He told Kawakami he's first focusing on building off all he achieved during his first season as San Francisco's full-time QB1.

"But for me, going into year three, dude, I still feel young and I still feel like there’s growth for me, both physically and mentally and with this game and this offense," Purdy added. "Shanahan and (QB coach Brian) Griese, continuing to learn from these guys. And I can’t let off the gas pedal just thinking … I’m possibly going to make money down the road if this all goes well. I have to be better today and that’s where my mindset’s at."