When Brock Purdy, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, delivered the game-sealing touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk on Thanksgiving night, head coach Kyle Shanahan found himself taken aback. The Seattle Seahawks had their zone coverage focused on Aiyuk during the play, leading Shanahan to believe that the optimal decision for Purdy would be to check down for a shorter gain. Contrary to expectations, Purdy executed a flawless throw, placing the ball precisely into Aiyuk’s hands for a 28-yard touchdown.
Expressing his surprise, Shanahan recalled, “I couldn’t believe he was throwing it. The zone coverage guys were so deep, which usually allows for a check-down right underneath them for about 12 yards. However, Brock thought he could drop it in over the guy, and it was a clear view for all of us—a hell of a throw with perfect touch. He got it over him, and that was the big play that sealed it.”
Shanahan highlighted Purdy’s tendency to take downfield chances when other quarterbacks might opt for a safer checkdown. “He does that pretty consistently; he’s always trying to get that one in. Very rarely does he check it down, and if you tell him he missed the deep one, he looks at it that way. He proved to us that, while the ball was in the air, it was the right direction,” Shanahan explained.
When asked if he initially thought Purdy had made the wrong read at the moment of the throw, Shanahan admitted, “Yeah, we’re all holding our breath as soon as he lets it go because the guy was so deep. But Brock’s got the touch, and he was able to throw it over him. He made the throw, and I wouldn’t have known it until he threw it, but once he threw it, it obviously was there.”
Purdy’s sensational play played a pivotal role in the 49ers’ significant victory, sparking discussions about his potential inclusion in MVP conversations.
