Trent Williams opens up about what Brock Purdy means to 49ers

Not long after the San Francisco 49ers signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265M contract extension that included $181M in guarantees earlier this spring, individuals such as former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made it known they felt the 49ers overpaid their starting quarterback. 

49ers star offensive tackle Trent Williams seemed to send a message to individuals such as Houshmandzadeh while speaking with reporters on Tuesday. 

"He is the guy for this team," Williams said about Purdy, as shared by Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. "He is the guy for this franchise. This is just the tip of the iceberg. He is going to get another contract. He’s going to win a lot of football games. He’s that good of a player. Super, super happy to see that for him. I love him like a brother, so I couldn’t be any happier."

Williams routinely protected Purdy as the signal-caller went from being a forgotten figure as the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft to a QB1 who was one play away from hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February 2024. Despite all that Purdy has accomplished since December of his rookie season, some outsiders still view him as a "game manager" who is lucky to play under offensive guru and head coach Kyle Shanahan. 

Shortly after it was learned that the 49ers planned to lock Purdy down via a lucrative extension, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that teams didn't actively pursue a trade for the 25-year-old during the offseason. Williams left little doubt on Tuesday that he's fine with the fact that other clubs weren't willing to match what the 49ers offered Purdy ahead of training camp. 

"For me, it’s just super, super fulfilling just to watch a guy like Brock," Williams added during his comments. "You talk about a Cinderella story. I think this is the epitome of that. A guy going from making a few hundred thousand (dollars) a year to making ($50M) a year, it’s astronomical, and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy."

Williams will look to help Purdy prove doubters wrong beginning with San Francisco's Week 1 game at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 7.