49ers Bring Back QB Brock Purdy Beat Out in 2022 Amid QB3 Uncertainty

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — August 2025 — With the preseason spotlight drifting to the back end of the depth chart, the San Francisco 49ers are moving to reunite with quarterback Nate Sudfeld, the veteran passer Brock Purdy edged out for the QB3 job in 2022. The decision arrives as the club continues to sort through instability at QB3 behind entrenched starter Purdy and veteran backup Mac Jones. Coaches value Sudfeld’s command of West Coast principles, huddle leadership, and scout-team utility—traits that can steady a volatile competition on a compressed August timeline.

Sudfeld’s perspective:
“Getting beat out by Brock in ’22 wasn’t easy to swallow. But seeing what he’s done since, there’s nothing to second-guess. This time, I’m back—wearing the red and gold—to compete and keep pushing. And just so Brock knows: I’m working every day to pay off an old debt.”

After his remarks, Sudfeld went straight from the podium to the meeting room, re-acquainting himself with the language and tempo of Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Team officials stressed there are no promises attached to the reunion—he’s here to compete, raise the floor of the room, and operate cleanly when called. Inside the locker room, Purdy kept it professional, welcoming the added competition and framing it as another chance for the group to sharpen each other.

For Sudfeld, this isn’t about rewriting 2022; it’s about earning 2025. If the veteran steadies the day-to-day and keeps the operation on schedule, he’ll give himself a real shot at the QB3 seat—or a protected practice-squad role as the season opens. Either way, the standard remains the same in San Francisco: show up, stack good days, and honor the red and gold.