How 49ers QB Purdy lifted Bell’s spirits after costly dropped pass originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Wide receiver Ronnie Bell stood at his locker Wednesday just before the start of practice.
He said his focus is on moving forward and putting his crucial dropped pass in the rear-view mirror.
Bell credited 49ers quarterback and team captain Brock Purdy for helping him get through the disappointment of his role in Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“I’m going to be honest, that was probably the best thing for me in the last couple days was Purdy coming and talking to me, and really helping me lift my spirits, man,” Bell said.
“It helps a lot to have guys having your back like that. And he helped me a ton to get back up, so I can move on, move past it and be ready to continue to help the team win.”
With the score tied at 24-24 with 1:08 remaining in regulation, Bell was in position to catch a deep pass from Purdy near the Rams’ 25-yard line.
Bell left his feet, but the on-target pass slipped through his hands.
After a failed third-down attempt, the 49ers punted the ball back to the Rams. After a long return, the Rams moved into position for the winning field goal when 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was called for a 25-yard penalty for pass interference.
Now, it’s time for Bell to get back to work as the 49ers prepare to face the New England Patriots in Week 4 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
“You got to just block it,” Bell said. “You got to know and trust yourself. You have worked for this stuff your whole life, so you got to understand that. You’ve got to block out the noise and trust yourself.”
Bell, a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft from Michigan, appeared in all 17 regular-season games as a rookie. He caught six passes for 68 yards. He was inactive for all three postseason games.
As he looked back on his mistake in Sunday’s game, Bell acknowledged how difficult it was to make a mistake that contributed to the 49ers’ 27-24 loss to the Rams.
“Definitely, you got to just finish the play,” he said. “I feel like the route was good, I got open, everything about it. You got to finish the play. It’s tough, man. It’s tough.”
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