Brock Purdy has found an unusual way to sharpen his skills away from the football field this year.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback spends time each day during the offseason working on his vision, using an iPad and 3D glasses to complete exercises designed to improve how quickly he processes movement and information.
According to ESPN's Nick Wagoner, one exercise involves watching two squares move around a screen and identifying when they converge or diverge. Purdy also practices saccades, a rapid-eye-movement exercise that requires him to follow arrows appearing in different locations on a screen.
The goal is to improve his depth perception, eye movement and decision-making speed — skills that can make a difference when he has to identify defenders
and find passing lanes in a split second. It's all helped him earn the nickname "The Layer King" for his ability to layer the ball to his catchers between multiple defenders.
"All those things help me just work on my eyesight, my eyes moving, being quick with my eyes, making quick decisions," Purdy told ESPN. "And then it records my decision-making, how fast, the percentage of getting right and wrong. I do think it helps."
The work complements Purdy's film study and preparation in Kyle Shanahan's offense, where timing and anticipation are essential to completing passes between defenders.
Purdy has put those skills to use during a strong start to the 2026 season. Through five games, he has completed 69% of his passes for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He has also posted a 119.3 passer rating and an 85.7 QBR.
At 26, Purdy continues to look for ways to improve, and his offseason routine shows that some of that work happens far beyond the practice field.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Brock Purdy has an unusual offseason routine to improve his game
