The San Francisco 49ers locked in their franchise quarterback this offseason, signing Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million extension that includes $181 million guaranteed. The deal, finalized ahead of Purdy’s fourth NFL season, makes him one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks and cements his role as the centerpiece of Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Purdy, 25, has started 31 games over the past two seasons, leading the 49ers to an NFC Championship appearance and a Super Bowl berth in 2023. Despite finishing the 2024 season with a 6–11 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020, San Francisco’s front office remained confident in Purdy’s long-term value, moving quickly in the offseason to secure him as the franchise’s centerpiece.
That confidence is shared by 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who reclaimed his role following a head coaching stint with the Jets.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh talk before game.
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Saleh didn’t hold back when asked about Purdy’s standing among NFL quarterbacks, per The Athletic’s David Lombardi.
“Not every head coach or not every organization is able to look at their quarterback and compare it to Brock,” Saleh said. “Brock is a damn good quarterback.”
Saleh worked with the 49ers from 2017 to 2020 and was part of the staff that helped build the foundation Purdy now leads. After failing to achieve a winning record across three seasons in New York, Saleh's Jets tenure came to an end when he was fired after Week 5 of the 2024 season, and he returned to San Francisco this offseason to reclaim his role as defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan.
His praise adds another layer of validation for a player who entered the league as the final pick in the 2022 draft—and now enters 2025 as one of its most scrutinized stars.
