At a Glance
- Brock Purdy’s sister Whittney played collegiate softball and his brother Chubba is a quarterback at the University of Nevada
- Chubba credits Brock for teaching him “a ton in life and football,” especially reading defenses
- The Purdy kids grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, where year-round training helped shape their athletic careers
- Why it matters: Family competition and support fueled the rise of the NFL’s last-pick sensation
Brock Purdy’s rise from the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft to starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was forged on hot Arizona fields alongside his two athletic siblings. The trio-older sister Whittney and younger brother Chubba-turned family games into elite-level training that shaped all three careers.
The Arizona Roots
Shawn and Carrie Purdy settled in Gilbert, Arizona, about 25 miles southeast of Phoenix, as a compromise between their coastal upbringings. Shawn had played minor-league baseball in the state and knew the area offered strong youth sports.
Gilbert’s year-round training climate let the kids compete daily. “The sports in Arizona were pretty good,” Brock told the 49ers in December 2023. “Just in terms of the competitive nature. I feel like I was a really good athlete because of the kids that I was around who loved playing sports.”
Sibling Rivalry Built Champions
Competition started early. “Ever since we were little, competition has been everything,” Chubba told The Arizona Republic in August 2019. “We just always want to win and we don’t like losing.”
Family vacations turned into throwing contests to see who could out-distance or out-precision the other. Their father, Shawn, said “the gloves [came] off when those two are together.”
Whittney: The Trailblazer
Whittney, the oldest, started the family’s athletic lineage. She played softball at:
- Spartanburg Methodist (South Carolina) – 2 years
- Southeastern University – finished career alternating between third base and shortstop
Brock told The Athletic in July 2023 that her arm “could launch it,” though she never lorded it over him.
Chubba: The Name and The Game
Preston “Chubba” Purdy earned his nickname at age one after weighing 32 pounds before his first birthday. The family called him Chubba; the name stuck and he plans to legally change his first name to Chubba.
College path:
- Florida State (2020-2021)
- Nebraska (12 game appearances)
- Initially committed to San Jose State, then announced on X (post deleted) he would play for University of Nevada
Chubba credits Brock for his football IQ. Among the skills Brock taught him:
- Reading defenses
- Understanding the game
- Appreciating cold weather
“My brother has helped me a ton in life and football,” Chubba told the Omaha World-Herald in March 2022. “He’s had a ton of experience as well, he’s just taught me so much.”
Draft-Day Prank
After six rounds of the 2022 draft passed without his name called, Brock staged a prank. When 49ers GM John Lynch phoned, Brock walked into the living room and claimed it was “another free agency call,” feigning disappointment. The family screamed when his name flashed on TV. “They all jumped up like I was a first-round pick,” he recalled to NBC Sports in September 2023.
Family Milestones
- July 2023: Brock proposed to Jenna Brandt; Whittney posted on Instagram welcoming her “sweetest sister in law”
- April 2024: Whittney and Chubba attended Brock and Jenna’s wedding
- July 2025: Couple welcomed daughter Millie Joleen
Whittney and Jenna vacationed together in Telluride, Colorado, for the bachelorette party. “Had the best time celebrating my soon to be sister in law!!!” Whittney wrote.
Key Takeaways
- Gilbert, Arizona’s competitive youth scene and year-round weather produced three collegiate athletes in one household.
- Whittney’s collegiate softball success set the bar for her younger brothers.
- Daily sibling battles refined skills that propelled Brock from draft afterthought to NFC title-game starter.
- Chubba continues the quarterback lineage at Nevada, crediting Brock for teaching him to read defenses and love the game.
- Despite NFL stardom, Brock remains closely bonded with Whittney and Chubba, sharing milestones from draft-day pranks to weddings and new babies.
