Teammate discusses what's different about Brock Purdy ahead of 2024 season

Quarterback Brock Purdy became a Most Valuable Player Award finalist as he guided the San Francisco 49ers to within a defensive stop of winning the Super Bowl in his first full campaign as the club's starter.

During a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," 49ers tight end George Kittle suggested Purdy is more comfortable serving as the offense's CEO today than he was when he faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII this past February.

"One thing I really noticed just this offseason...is he just has a new confidence in the offense, and he's kind of taking the reins on it," Kittle said about Purdy, as shared by David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "I think him and [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] have discussions about what his favorite things are, and those are the things we try to get better at."

Purdy famously entered the NFL as the final pick of the 2022 draft and began his rookie season buried on San Francisco's depth chart until injuries forced him into action ahead of schedule in December of that year. He then won his first seven starts, including the playoffs, before he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament during the NFC Championship Game in January 2023. He eventually recovered from that setback in time to start last September's regular-season opener.

According to Pro Football Reference , Purdy finished the 2023 season leading the NFL with a 72.8 adjusted QBR, a 113.0 passer rating and an average of 9.6 yards gained per pass attempt. He was third with 31 passing touchdowns and fifth with 4,280 passing yards.

"What I've really liked about Brock, ever since he got into the huddle his rookie season, he's a guy that speaks with confidence," Kittle explained. "And when you're a quarterback with confidence , the players, everyone looks at you. You have everyone's attention 24/7. And there's no BS behind it. It's just who he truly is."

Purdy was without both star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams from the start of training camp through the preseason amid their contract disputes. While both men likely will feature for the 49ers during the upcoming season, Purdy having an improved command of the offense could help the pair get back into the swing of things after they missed a plethora of practice sessions.

As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the 49ers second among the betting favorites at +600 odds to win Super Bowl LIX. If Purdy plays on Super Bowl Sunday for the second straight year, he could put pen to paper on a historic contract extension as soon as next spring.