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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

49ers’ Brock Purdy shared emotional hugs with his family after breaking an NFL playoff rookie record

Despite helping keep the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes alive in the regular season, no one understandably knew what to expect from rookie/former seventh-round pick Brock Purdy in his playoff debut Saturday. But then 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan let Purdy’s deep passing game loose, the monstrous San Francisco defense flexed its muscles, and Purdy-Mania officially extended into the postseason during a 49ers’ 41-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

I should probably place that into a better context.

After a relatively sparkling statistical performance — where the young Purdy completed 18-of-30 passes, threw for 332 yards, and three scores while running for another — he officially did something no NFL rookie has ever achieved in the league’s history. It doesn’t tell the whole story, as Purdy had his uneven moments, but it definitely wasn’t normal.

With his playoff line officially logged, Purdy became the first-ever rookie NFL quarterback to create four touchdowns in his first playoff game. Yes, seriously. That is not a typo. All those better players you’re thinking of right now?

They don’t have this kind of accomplishment under their belt:

Oh, and Purdy’s 332 yards passing are the most by any 49ers quarterback in a postseason matchup since Joe Montana … in a Super Bowl. No big deal!

Make NFL history as the simultaneous quarterback of a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and you’ll probably want to celebrate with your people. That’s precisely what Purdy did as he met his family in the end zone after the 49ers advanced to the Divisional Round.

The 49ers will enter the next round as a presumed heavy favorite regardless of who their opponent is. They can thank Purdy for exceeding all individual expectations as he morphs into an early playoff sensation.

NFL fans celebrated Purdy after his stellar NFL rookie record playoff debut

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