Jerry Rice made his thoughts on the 49ers paying Brock Purdy clear.
Eva Geitheim | Feb 3, 2025
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- San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers top priority this offseason will be to sign Brock Purdy to a contract extension. Purdy will enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2025, and could be in line to receive even upwards of the market value for quarterbacks, $55-60 million per year, with his second deal.
Though there have been questions regarding how much Purdy should earn, 49ers legend and Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice confidently believes that Purdy is the "guy" for the franchise, and wants his former team to get an extension done with Purdy as soon as they can.
“They need to get it done now," Rice said on 95.7 The Game. "They don’t need any distractions this year. If you feel like Brock Purdy is the quarterback for the 49ers, get it done. Don’t let it linger into training camp and all that. But you gotta be sure. You gotta be positive. You can not make a mistake if you don’t feel like this guy is completely what you need. … I believe he is the guy.”
Purdy himself seemed to echo Rice's comments in January, stating his belief that he is the guy for the franchise and wanting to keep negotiations drama-free.
“With the timing of getting something done, obviously I want to get it done, if it’s an opportunity to get it done quick, that would be great," Purdy told the media in January. "… For me at the end of the day, I want to win. I want to win for this organization, and everybody here. I’m not the kind of guy that wants any drama associated with anything.”
Over the last three offseasons, the 49ers have dealt with drama surrounding star players wanting extensions. In 2022, the 49ers faced Deebo Samuel requesting a trade before they signed him to a three-year deal. In 2023, Nick Bosa held out before receiving a $170 million extension.
Last offseason, both Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams held out until late in the offseason. While the 49ers managed to reach at least the NFC championship game after Samuel and Bosa's contract situations, the team was not as successful this time around. Between the holdouts, a slew of injuries, and a Super Bowl hangover, the 49ers went a disappointing 6-11 in 2024, a drastic falloff from their performance over the three seasons prior.
As the 49ers look to rebound back to championship contention next season, avoiding letting contract talks linger with their starting quarterback will be key for the team to put in a complete, cohesive offseason. If the 49ers can be together throughout the preseason, it should improve their chances at playing better and winning more games again next season.