SANTA CLARA — Shortly after Christian McCaffrey’s arrival with the 49ers, then-backup quarterback Brock Purdy spent a lot of time with him.
As Purdy gladly helped McCaffrey learn the 49ers’ plays, he also learned a lot in the process.
“I’m like, man, this is what greatness looks like,” Purdy said.
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SIGN UP HERE Purdy is scheduled to make his second consecutive start on Thursday in relief of injured Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy will face the Seattle Seahawks, as long as his sore oblique and rib will allow him.
Purdy said he marveled at McCaffrey’s approach after he came to the 49ers in the Oct. 20 trade from the Carolina Panthers.
“We would always sit down and go over the scripts together before the game,” Purdy said. “Literally, he wanted me to read every single play. He would say where he’s lining up, what he’s doing, his assignment.
“And I was like, that’s insane to see how fast he learned stuff when he got here and has been able to know our playbook already inside and out. It’s been wild to see.”
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McCaffrey has played a huge role in the 49ers’ turnaround from a 3-4 record after their 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs to a team that would clinch the NFC West title in Week 15 with a victory over Seattle.
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McCaffrey has 426 yards rushing and three touchdowns since coming to the 49ers. He also has 35 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns.
“I feel like they (opposing defenses) always have to account for him because he can do so much,” Purdy said. “He doesn’t just run the football. He can do stuff out of the backfield, he can line up out as a receiver and make plays that way.
“Literally, there is so much. He’s like a Swiss army knife.”