It almost seems like an unbelievable Hollywood movie when you talk about Brock Purdy’s story this season.
Going from the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft as “Mr. Irrelevant,” to suddenly being the most successful rookie quarterback this season and a potential future star that just might save the season for the San Francisco 49ers, seems just a little too good to be true.
On the season, Purdy has proven to be a legitimate starter, with six touchdowns to just two interceptions in his three-game undefeated run as the 49ers’ signal caller. He and Aaron Rodgers are the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to have a passer rating of over 115 in their first two starts, with Brock hitting an amazing 134.0 rating against a tough Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense in his first start.
Purdy has played like a savvy veteran within a complicated Kyle Shanahan system, and while it’s known to be a somewhat quarterback-friendly scheme, the tape and production tell us that this is so much more than a system-dependent quarterback managing games. Purdy has made multiple plays in clutch moments, with laser throws and quality decision-making.
If Purdy continues this rocket-level ascension, and can limit the natural mistakes that come with being a rookie, it would be hard to imagine the 49ers not making a deep playoff run with him at the helm. With a ton of playmakers on offense, and a dominant defense to lead the way, Purdy will be anything but irrelevant the rest of this season, and perhaps longer.
