Santa Clara, California. Today
Levi’s Stadium is always electric before a 49ers game. But tonight, as the team prepares to face the Carolina Panthers, Brock Purdy made the entire NFL pause — not with a highlight throw, but with the deeply emotional story behind the cleats he’ll be wearing.
As part of the “My Cause My Cleats” campaign, Purdy revealed that his customized cleats are a tribute to his late grandfather, Joe, who passed away after years battling Alzheimer’s. He was the man who placed a football in Purdy’s hands for the first time, who sat through scorching afternoons to watch every practice, and the person Purdy calls “the guiding light of my childhood.”
The cleats feature the signature purple of Alzheimer’s awareness, along with a small inscription: For Grandpa Joe.
When asked about the meaning behind them, Purdy responded with a softened voice:
“I just want to carry him with me every time I step onto the field, the same way he watched over me through all those early years. Even when he couldn’t remember me at the end, my memories of him never left for a single moment. If these cleats reach someone out there and help them stay strong through the journey my family once endured, then that’s the most beautiful way I can say thank you to him.”
The moment spread across social media instantly, and from Santa Clara to the Faithful online community, thousands of fans began sharing their own stories about loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s. Many called Purdy “the voice this community needs.”
Purdy’s cleats will be auctioned immediately after the game, with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California — an organization that supported his family during his grandfather’s final years.
Purdy has never been the loud or flashy type, but tonight he proved once again that leadership isn’t defined by a 40-yard throw — it’s defined by the heart of the one holding the ball.
And as Purdy takes the field, everyone at Levi’s Stadium understands one thing clearly: he isn’t walking out there alone — his grandfather is still with him, every step of the way.
