MINNEAPOLIS — After the 49ers’ 22-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on “Monday Night Football” at U.S. Bank Stadium, quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner shared a quiet conversation in the locker room.
Warner, just out of the shower and still dressed only in towels, sat at his locker, head in his hand, pouring over the stat sheets and seemingly looking at the evidence of what went wrong.
Purdy, after having just spoken to the media at the podium, walked slowly back into the locker room to grab his suitcase but then paused and beelined to the linebacker’s side. For about 30 seconds, without cameras or media members within earshot, the two spoke.
Purdy started the conversation, with clear disappointment on his face after throwing two interceptions in the team’s loss. Then it was Warner’s turn. The All-Pro linebacker’s voice never grew loud enough to be heard, but Warner turned to face his quarterback and spoke while looking right into his eyes with a message that appeared passionate and meaningful.
“He’s obviously just hard on himself and he’s blaming himself for it,” Warner told NBC Sports Bay Area in regards to the conversation. “I’m letting him know, of course not. It’s not about just him. I have full confidence in Brock and what he brings to this football team.”
Warner is correct. There were substantial errors in all three phases of the game, defense included. Still, Purdy told NBC Sports Bay Area he was thankful for the veteran’s supportive words after a performance that he felt he needed to own.
“He just told me we all need to play better on both sides of the ball,” Purdy told NBC Sports Bay Area. “We will get better. It will be alright.”
The 49ers have a short week before hosting the Cincinnati Bengals at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, but one thing that will help the team get over their two consecutive losses will be the support the players are giving each other through the adversity.
Rather than finger pointing, the 49ers are taking full ownership of mistakes throughout the locker room, as evidenced by Purdy and Warner’s support of each other.
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