Is Brock Purdy’s situation unique? Ask Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Joe Montana, the list goes on
Brock Purdy’s interviews are always worth checking out. Recently, Built 4 More got him on their podcast to discuss his career, among other things.
And if you might have read about how he has issues seeing the field. Before we get into this one, I want to get the entire quote on here:
“So, my quarterback coach Brian Griese, the last couple years, he and I talked about that. He played 11 years; his dad’s Bob Griese. We got talking about how really it’s 60-40 you can see about 60 percent of the time, and the other 40 percent, you really can’t. I mean doesn’t matter how bigger you are—I’m already shorter in stature, yes—but he goes that’s why it’s so important when it comes down to knowing coverages, knowing scheme, where our players are supposed to be, how many steps they’re breaking, and where the ball should be over a certain backer. All those things, man, it matters.That’s why if you go to a combine and all those things you’re just throwing on air, and yeah you look all good with a strong arm and fast jumping all that stuff, but when it comes down to 11 on 11, and you got guys that are a foot taller, and you can’t see? It comes down to the processing. Before the play, I know this safety is probably going to rotate down, it’s going to be one high, and I got one hitch. No more than that to rip it where Deebo’s [Samuel] supposed to be like just inside the hash, and there’s a backer that’s also got a 40-inch vert that I got to put you know like that’s all those things”
So, 40 percent of the time, Purdy, a quarterback 6 feet, one inch tall, can’t see the field. And this was something his coach worked with him on. Not like Purdy just said, “I can’t see anything.”
On the surface, that lack of vision must be awful for a 6’1” quarterback. That is if you don’t realize other quarterbacks who have/had the same issue. Russell Wilson comes to mind immediately since his shorter height has helped him. There’s also retired quarterback Drew Brees who is a whopping one (1) inch shorter than Purdy on some lists. Both have won Super Bowls.
Of course, we can also visit the 49ers’ own greats, like Joe Montana. Get this: Montana is a whole inch taller than Purdy, I wonder if that inch is what gave Montana all that success.
The point is, while Purdy isn’t 6’5”, there have been plenty of quarterbacks in his situation who probably have grasped the same issues. Steve Young (6’2 if we’re keeping track) has praised Purdy for his processing speed—not his athletic ability.
And if you want to look to Purdy’s example of the quarterbacks running on air, look at all the flameouts during their pro day. Trey Lance looked tremendous in his Pro Day, but like Purdy implied, Lance was throwing on air and didn’t have linemen to deal with. We saw how that turned out. I’m sure that single inch Patrick Mahomes (6’ 2) has on Purdy is making him see 100 percent of the field over his linemen.
As you can see, Purdy’s not the only quarterback having this issue, the greats have it also. So what does Purdy do to compensate: timing and footwork, as stated in his Deebo Samuel example. A hitch and he was to throw it to Samuel.
This isn’t anything new. It’s the same thing Joe Montana did in Bill Walsh’s offense forty years ago. The play Purdy described had him do a single hitch before he needed to get it where Deebo Samuel was. It’s all timing—not seeing 100 percent of the field. Here’s Montana’s quote on the subject in Bill Walsh’s Football Life episode:
“Turn on the film, and he [Walsh] goes, ‘Hey, footwork. This is a five-step drop. You took, like, three big and a hop. And that’s why you feel like you’re waiting on, because everything’s not ready yet. We put steps in here for a reason. Three-step drop, five-step drop, five-step and a hitch, seven-step and a hitch, all this is all timed, so things can open up for you at a certain time.’”
So there. Purdy was just explaining how quarterbacks see the field. Not him and him alone. Purdy is having issues seeing the field? So is everyone else.