The last pick of the NFL Draft every year is generally considered “Mr. Irrelevant.” But San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, made it to Super Bowl LVIII in only his second season. Purdy holds an impressive record of 20-7 and a 4-2 playoff record since taking over as San Francisco’s starting QB midway through last year. He has punched his ticket to the NFC Championship two straight years, and could’ve made the Super Bowl in his rookie year if it wasn’t for his injury last year in the NFC Championship. His team’s Super Bowl run would unfortunately come up short in a thrilling, overtime loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
At just 24 years old, Purdy is the third youngest QB and first ever “Mr. Irrelevant” to start it. Since the 49ers are a team stacked with talent on both sides of the ball, many fans questioned if Purdy is a legitimate star player or just a lucky kid. But his excellent and consistent gameplay has silenced these questions.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Purdy threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and possessed a QB rating of 72.7. In a short time, he has proven his ability to lead a team to victory and be one of the best in his position. This past season, he collected the most votes out of the entire league in Pro Bowl voting.
Despite this, many football fans are skeptical of him and believe the San Francisco offense is a major reason why Purdy is so good. He gets to perform alongside strong offensive playmakers such as running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, who were major contributors to the team’s impressive record in the NFC. Although Purdy may still be very young, he has shown how he performs under pressure and enhances team chemistry as a whole.
What surprises many people is how low Purdy’s pay is compared to other players on his team, both in the league and in all sports in general. Purdy is on a four-year, $3.7 million contract, whereas college football players are getting paid more than him, including University of Colorado’s quarterback Shedeur Sanders. As Purdy continues to shine under pressure, a contract extension or restructure will probably be considered because his talent shows how great of a player he is.
At the Super Bowl, Purdy put up a typical game with 225 yards and threw for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the Lombardi trophy did not end up in the Niners’ hands, but there are still many positives to walk away with and use as motivation for next season. With a consistent competitive match from start to finish, it is proven how promising Purdy’s performance is, especially when going up against one of the league’s best in Patrick Mahomes.
Photo Credit: “Brock Purdy” by Rob Corder is licensed under (CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED)
