When he’s not guiding the San Francisco 49ers towards the Super Bowl, quarterback Brock Purdy is making headlines for his heroics in saving people and dogs from coyote encounters. Purdy’s act of bravery occurred while filming a John Deere commercial in San Francisco back in February.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Purdy recounted the incident. While filming the ad involving a John Deere tractor on a San Francisco street, Purdy spotted a coyote approaching a woman and her dog. Without hesitation, Purdy raised the alarm, alerting the woman and frightening the animal away.
“We’re shooting this commercial on a hill on the outside of the city,” Purdy recalled. “I see this thing trotting by that has a big tail. I was like, ‘That looks like a mini wolf.’ No one else was gonna scream, so I screamed, ‘Yo, there’s a coyote!’ That thing went running off. It could’ve been an ugly day on the shoot, but we saved her.”
Brock Purdy’s Heroic Act: Rescuing CBS News Anchor Sara Donchey from Coyote Attack
As it turned out, the woman whom Purdy rescued was CBS News Bay Area anchor Sara Donchey. In the days following the incident, Donchey shared her perspective on Purdy’s heroic act.
“I was walking my dog when this happened,” Donchey explained back in February. “I was watching from Bernal Heights Park when I suddenly heard Brock scream, ‘Coyote!’ I turned around and saw the biggest coyote I’ve ever seen sneaking up behind me and my dog. … When I walked down the hill, one of the film crew guys said, ‘Hey, Brock Purdy saved your life.’ Not exactly, but it’s a good story to tell next season.”
Purdy is coming off a standout 2023 season with the 49ers, where he garnered attention for his impressive performance. Finishing fourth in MVP voting, Purdy threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
While he likely has a promising NFL career ahead of him, Purdy’s act of bravery suggests he could excel in roles beyond football, perhaps even in animal control, when he eventually decides to hang up his cleats.