49ers CEO: Shanahan knew Purdy was our best QB during 2022 training camp
San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York said head coach Kyle Shanahan told him in training camp of the 2022 season that Brock Purdy was the best quarterback on the roster.
"'I think our third-string quarterback is our best quarterback,'" York recalled Shanahan telling him after a training camp practice, per KNBR.
York added that Shanahan never forced the team to adjust the depth chart, but he believed Purdy would be the starting quarterback for the 49ers at some point.
Trey Lance entered the 2022 season as the team's starting signal-caller after the club traded three first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft to move up and select the North Dakota State product. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, which forced Jimmy Garoppolo into the starting role.
The 32-year-old Garoppolo started the next 10 games for the 49ers. He went 7-3 during that stretch but ultimately went down with a foot injury in Week 13 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Purdy entered the Week 13 contest in the first quarter and led the 49ers to a 33-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the game, helping him secure the full-time starting quarterback role.
"He's always honest," York said of Shanahan. "One thing that owners don't love to hear when they've invested money and or draft picks or both into two people is that the last pick in the draft is the guy that we think is best. That's generally not great news. But he's honest, and he let it play out the right way."
Purdy has gone 17-4 in two seasons, throwing for 5,654 yards with 44 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.