Kyle Shanahan Gives His Opinion on Brock Purdy's Practice Interceptions

"We never want a lot of picks in practice, regardless of who it is," head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday.

May 10, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches during the 49ers rookie minicamp at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Mandatory Credit: Robert Kupbens-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Kupbens-USA TODAY Sports

SANTA CLARA -- Brock Purdy always throws lots of interceptions in training camp.

That's what he did last year and that's what he has done this year. Earlier this week, he threw a whopping seven interceptions combined in two practices, plus he threw two more passes that the defense dropped. So in total, he had nine turnover-worthy passes in two days. Not great.

"We never want a lot of picks in practice, regardless of who it is," head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday. "But Brock has never really had an interception problem. He's protected the ball pretty well in this league for his two years and he also isn't scared to let it rip too. If we were really trying to fix that and if he had a problem, you come out and that's all we're focusing on and he still has some stats like that, then that's something that concerns you. But that's something I really haven't been worried about with Brock and that's why those stats are also something that hasn't bothered me at all."

Shanahan chose his words carefully. He said Purdy protects the ball "pretty well," which is a fair statement. The league average interception percentage is 2.3. In 2022, Purdy's interception percentage was 2.4, and in 2023 it was 2.5. So he's right around the league average, although he's above it.

And his interception percentage went up from his first year to his second year. And last year, of all the quarterbacks who threw at least 200 passes, only six had higher interception percentages than Purdy. So protecting the football certainly is an area he could improve.

It's not like the 49ers ask Purdy to put the team on his back and be a hero -- that's what the Bills ask from Josh Allen. If he didn't improvise and make plays, they wouldn't move the ball.

Purdy can improvise when necessary, but on the 49ers his job is to distribute the ball like a point guard to his All Pro weapons and get out of the way. Let them be the stars.

Purdy gets himself in trouble when he tries to show he's more than just a distributer.