49ers’ Josh Dobbs is excited to play in the “right color jersey” at Levi’s Stadium

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The last time quarterback Josh Dobbs played at Levi’s Stadium was on October 1, 2023, when he played for the Arizona Cardinals. In that game, the San Francisco 49ers dominated with a 35-16 win. Brock Purdy was nearly perfect, completing all but one of his 21 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown.

Now Dobbs and Purdy are teammates and Dobbs is battling for the QB2 spot. His performance on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints has many believing he could be the favorite to back up Purdy. It was Dobbs’ first appearance at Levi’s Stadium since last season’s loss and he’s happy to be wearing the red and gold this time around.

“It was just a good day to go out and compete,” Dobbs said after the 16-10 preseason win. “It’s always fun to go out on the field and experience that atmosphere. That’s my goal every time I step out on the field. I just go out there, take advantage of the opportunities and leave the pecking order and everything else to the coaches.”

“My job is to be ready when my number is called, no matter what role. When Brock is in, it’s my job to support him or any other player from the sidelines. So it was fun to be out there at Levi’s Stadium and wear the right color jersey this time, like my last experience here. It’s always good to get a win, too.”

Dobbs has never had as many supporting roles as he does now and enjoys the playmaking abilities of his new offensive teammates. Even in a supporting role, he is excited about the opportunity to play for a competitive team.

“He’s a real baller, man,” Purdy said of Dobbs. “He makes plays, reads his decisions and brings energy. He’s out there making plays, and guys benefit from that. That’s football. Things don’t always go pretty, and you fall behind, and everything is perfect. You have to make plays off schedule and give the team momentum, and guys benefit from that. So I love having him in the room. Like I said, he’s pretty electric.”

Dobbs seems to be getting more comfortable in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense and made good plays with both his arms and legs on Sunday, finishing the night 12 of 21 passing for 133 yards, along with three runs for 25 yards and a touchdown.

“I felt comfortable,” Dobbs said. “I think it showed in my game. It felt good to be able to distribute the ball and make plays with my legs when the opportunity presented itself. I thought the young players around me did a great job.”

“(WR) Jacob Cowing did a great job with big plays and some short passes, some of course going down the sideline. It was great to have a good cast around me to be able to go out and play.”

When asked if his impressive performance gave him a sense of relief in the fight for the QB2 job, Dobbs dismissed that idea. He has high expectations for himself whenever his number is called – in the preseason or otherwise.

“I expect to play well when I step on the field, but I also know there are things I can improve on,” Dobbs said. “That’s always my mindset. I play with a lot of confidence because I know I’ve put work, time and effort into my game. Obviously, I expect that to show no matter where the game is and whenever I get my chance. So no relief.”

“Now it’s, ‘Hey, how can I improve? How can I continue to step into this team to do my best, no matter what role I’m in?’ So, yeah, no relief. We’re still hungry. It’s a preseason game. It’s good to put in a good performance, but we have to keep things moving in the right direction.”