SANTA CLARA – Sunday night’s spotlight pits the NFL’s first $60-million-a-year quarterback against a 49ers’ counterpart who’s playing on a $1.1 million ante.
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is excessively above Brock Pudy’s pay grade with the 49ers.
Once the season ends, with or without a playoff charge, Purdy becomes eligible for a market-rate extension that should vault him up to Prescott’s bank status. For now, they’re each quarterbacking three-win teams desperate to rebound from bad defeats and reboot title dreams.
Future fortunes are not on Purdy’s mind.
“No, for me, I had to play better against the Chiefs last week,” Purdy said Thursday of the three-interception, 28-18 loss. “For me, I’m like, ‘Dude, I have to be better for my time right now, for the Dallas Cowboys coming up.’ I’m always trying to find an edge to myself and my game, not thinking about what next year holds.
“We’re trying to win this Sunday and to get our record going up. That’s where my mindset is at” Purdy said. “I’m focused on my team and this year. That’s fine, and that’s it.”
Purdy’s 36.7 passer rating Sunday marked the lowest of his 34 career starts.
“If you continue to play like this, you’re not going to get the (money) bag like (Prescott),” former Cowboys star Michael Irvin said this week on Fox’s “Speak.”
Purdy is 2-0 against the Cowboys, having rallied in the January 2022 divisional playoffs and then pumped out four touchdown throws (three to George Kittle) in last October’s 42-10 rout at Levi’s Stadium.
Purdy exchanged pleasantries with Prescott after those games, but that’s the extent of their personal history, so there was no congratulatory (or “Thank you for re-setting the QB market!”) text upon Prescott’s four-year, $240 million extension on opening day.
“That’s a big contract. I love that for him,” 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said. “But I practice against a $60 million quarterback, too. He just hasn’t been paid yet. He’s going to break the bank. Shout out to Brock.”
Prescott is coming off the Cowboys bye week, which he used to get engaged and eventually join Purdy in the newlywed ranks. Before that, the Cowboys endured their worst loss ever at AT&T Stadium, a 47-9 thrashing by the Detroit Lions on Oct. 13; Prescott failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 10 games, and he posted a season-low 42.2 passer rating (17 of 33, 178 yards, two interceptions).
Prescott, in his Thursday press conference, described his start to the season as average, to which 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said: “I wouldn’t evaluate him as average. He’s being hard on himself. He’s had so much success over the years, he’s always tough to play against.”
Purdy and the 49ers got tough luck Sunday when Brandon Aiyuk sustained a season-ending knee injury Sunday. While George Kittle (foot) and Deebo Samuel (illness) returned to practice Thursday, Jauan Jennings (hip) remained out, so Purdy is using all the time he can to enhance his chemistry with rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, as well as veteran Chris Conley.
“He’s gone in and watched the film and been critical of it,” Conley said. “We expect the same thing Brock always shows: he’s going to get in there, make those corrections and get better. That’s what he’s done historically and we expect nothing different.”
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Samuel practiced for the first time since being hospitalized with pneumonia two nights after Sunday’s loss; he did individual conditioning on the side Wednesday. Kittle (foot), left tackle Trent Williams (rest) and safety George Odum (knee) returned after a day hiatus. Defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and kicker Jake Moody (ankle) remained out.
Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) remained out of practice, as did kicker Brandon Aubrey, who is on jury duty but will make the trip and play Sunday.
