New 49ers quarterback Josh Dobbs knows the deal. He signed with San Francisco this offseason not because he thought he had a chance at a starting job, but because he believed he could benefit from learning about one of the league’s most prominent offenses. He didn’t come to the 49ers to take over Brock Purdy’s job, just to learn from him. That doesn’t mean Dobbs doesn’t have a chance to be a starter in the NFL. A fourth-round pick out of Tennessee in the 2017 draft, Dobbs has been waiting for a chance to take over the starting role, and he finally got his chance last year. He played on an underwhelming Arizona team and was looking forward to the return of Kyler Murray. Dobbs went 1-7 against the Cardinals, but was assigned to Minnesota and went 4-4 as the Vikings’ starting pitcher, but was demoted after a 3-0 loss against the Raiders.
However, timing is everything. Dobbs had perhaps the best game of his NFL career in Week 4 against the 49ers, completing 28 of 41 passes for 265 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 102.2 passer rating. It will be done. This game could have earned Dobbs a job with the Niners.
Dobbs appeared on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” this week to talk about his 2023 season and how he landed with the 49ers. He was asked about Purdy, and his answer was extension (via 49ers Web Zone):
“We played him in Arizona, and that’s why I respected him so much … Now, he does have a great cast, but at the end of the day, he has to be the decision-maker and the driving force of the offense, and the way he makes good decisions, takes care of the football and plays just efficient, clean football. “Like, he might not go out there and make the wild play all the time, but he’s going to go out there and put his team in a great position to be successful. And that’s what you have to do, especially in the [Kyle] Shanahan offense, and then obviously, especially when you have some really good weapons around you.”
Purdy had an MVP-caliber season in 2023, and had the 49ers within a defensive stop of a Super Bowl championship. He led the team to a 12-4 record as a starter, and set a franchise record for passing yards with 4,280. He threw 31 touchdowns last year, becoming the first 49ers quarterback to throw over 30 touchdowns in a year since Jeff Garcia in 2001. At this point, there are few QB rooms with him as deep as the 49ers’. Not only was Purdy a starter, but so was Dobbs, and the veteran Brandon Allen behind him was also a starter.
Brock Purdy ‘Wins Football Games’
Purdy was the most efficient quarterback in the NFL last season. Still, he received persistent criticism for being a so-called “system” quarterback, the implication being that Purdy was not a very good quarterback, but, rather, just a guy who can flourish in Shanahan’s innovative offense.
Purdy led the NFL in quarterback rating (113.0), QBR (72.8), yards per reception (13.9) and touchdown percentage (7.0%). He is in only his second season. Thus, Dobbs is not buying the whole “system quarterback” rap.
“That’s why I’ve respected seeing how he’s been able to quickly do that from the first year, getting thrown into the fire, because I know what that feels like,” Dobbs said. “And then being able to go to the NFC Championship Game, be one injury away from going to the Super Bowl, and then go to the Super Bowl the next year in the midst of, obviously, all the people trying to say he’s a game manager, yada, yada, yada.
“At the end of the day, he wins football games and he plays efficient football. That’s all you can ask for.”
