If Stevie Wonder taught us anything, it’s that love is more than a feeling. It’s a way of being, a total eclipse of the heart that can leave even the most stoic of onlookers quivering in euphoria.
For some, it takes a long time to find such a romance. There are plenty of ways to find affection and intimacy in one’s life; forming relationships with friends and community can serve as a refreshing palette cleanser to the world’s bitterness — a trait that often grabs headlines.
Still, romance sells. It also nourishes the soul, mending broken bones that shy away from the public’s glare.
Which is why Brock Purdy’s love life is so compelling. The 49ers star has become one of the faces of the NFL in the past 12 months, overcoming “Mr. Irrelevant” status to helm the 49ers stellar attack.
Off the gridiron, Purdy has found a rhythm, too. He recently proposed to longtime girlfriend Jenna Brandt, the latest highlight in a string of them for the young couple.
Here’s what you need to know about Purdy, Brandt, and the love that binds them together.
Brock Purdy and Jenna Brandt relationship timeline
2018-20
Purdy and Brandt both attended Iowa State, starring on each of their respective playing fields. For Purdy, that was the gridiron; for Brandt, that was on the hardwood as a member of the Cyclones’ volleyball team. It’s unclear whether the pair first met each other during this time. However, it’s certainly possible that their paths crossed.
2021
Brandt opted to swap Iowa State maroon for Northern Iowa purple in December 2020, joining the Panthers’ volleyball team as a setter. Cedar Falls is but 90 minutes away from Ames, meaning that Brandt and Purdy weren’t too far from one another.
July 2022
It seems Purdy and Brandt had started up a relationship at some point between 2021 and ’22. Purdy’s sister, Whittney, snapped a picture of the two attending some sort of country concert with the rest of their family.
November 2022
Brandt and Purdy went Instagram official in November 2022. Brandt was the one to break the seal, posting a picture of Purdy hanging around a house, ostensibly her childhood home, with the caption “my roots and my boy.”
Purdy added to the theatrics by commenting “My girl!” How precious!
December 2022
Purdy’s emergence as the 49ers starter became the talk of the town in San Francisco. More often than not, Brandt could be found in the concourses, watching on as her beau found pay dirt.
