Jon Gruden Rips 49ers’ Trey Lance Gamble, Declares Brock Purdy a Franchise Savior

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is one of Brock Purdy’s biggest supporters, and he isn’t shy about expressing his admiration for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback. As Purdy becomes eligible for his first major contract extension—one that many expect will make him one of the highest-paid players in the league—his true value has become a subject of heated debate.

Purdy’s critics have grown louder following the 49ers’ disappointing 6-11 season, arguing that his inability to elevate the team in the absence of key offensive weapons proves he isn’t worthy of a top-tier contract. However, Gruden strongly disagrees.

“They should build a statue of him in San Francisco,” Gruden said this week in New Orleans, ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

Gruden believes Purdy’s emergence helped the 49ers recover from one of the most costly missteps of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era: trading away three first-round draft picks in 2021 to select quarterback Trey Lance, who is no longer on the roster.

“He covered their ass, man,” Gruden emphasized. “They gave up three first-round draft choices to get a guy (Lance) they got rid of … and this guy (Purdy) was the last pick of the draft. He’s taken you to the Super Bowl. He’s taken you to the brink.”

When it comes to Purdy’s impending payday, Gruden has no doubts.

“He deserves to get paid, and I’ll just leave it at that,” Gruden concluded with a smile.