From Mr. Irrelevant to Super Bowl QB The Remarkable Ascent of 49ers Sensation, Brock Purdy.
When the NFL teams were making their picks for the future stars of the league in the 2022 draft, Brock Purdy was someone most teams preferred to steer clear of—and it wasn't difficult to understand why. Despite a respectable college career at Iowa State, the scouting reports on Purdy hardly painted the picture of the next Tom Brady: "throwing seemed more laborious than natural talent," "lacks agility," "a gritty runner but lacking dynamism," "avoids tight throws." Purdy's consistency was, ironically, his seeming deficiency across the board by the rigorous standards of the sport.
However, Kyle Shanahan, renowned as one of the NFL's premier offensive-minded head coaches, saw something in Purdy's college game tape that impressed him. Consequently, Shanahan took a chance on Purdy, selecting him with the 262nd and final pick of the draft—an honor that annually earns one player the moniker "Mr. Irrelevant" and often garners ridicule on social media.
When Purdy arrived at the 49ers' summer training camp, there were doubts about his chances of making the roster. Being the team's fourth-choice quarterback—most teams only carry three—it wouldn't have been surprising if he found himself back working for his family's hot-tub business in Arizona before the season began. However, he defied the odds and secured a spot on the roster. Then, in his rookie season last year, unexpected events unfolded.
First, the team's starter, Trey Lance, renowned for his speed and strength, suffered an injury. Then, backup Jimmy Garoppolo, known for his movie-star looks, also got injured. In stepped Purdy, who, at best, appeared capable of avoiding embarrassment. However, he defied expectations by leading the 49ers to seven consecutive wins. Their season only came to an end when Purdy himself was injured in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who ultimately faced the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Despite his unexpected success, Purdy remains grounded. Friends from high school described him to ESPN this week as "serious, mature, and passionate about school and faith" during his teenage years. He seems to have maintained the same demeanor: he drives a worn-out Toyota and shares an apartment with a teammate to save money in the pricey Bay Area, where even six-figure incomes struggle to cover rent. (Purdy will presumably find his own place when he gets married next month.)
This season, Purdy solidified his role as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. The team's confidence in him was evident when they traded Lance and Garoppolo to other teams, even considering the possibility of enticing Brady out of retirement. Purdy's performance has exceeded expectations from last season, culminating in leading the 49ers to Sunday's Super Bowl.
Critics of Purdy argue that his apparent ordinariness is reflective of his true abilities. They suggest that his success is more a result of circumstance than inherent talent. Purdy benefits from being surrounded by exceptional players on offense, including Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Trent Williams, all regarded as among the best in the league in their respective positions. Furthermore, because expectations were low for Purdy coming out of college, he earns close to the league minimum salary, allowing the 49ers financial flexibility to sign high-profile players for other positions on the roster.
However, such assessments do a disservice to the 24-year-old quarterback. The truth is, the 49ers have seen significant improvement with him at the helm compared to when Lance and Garoppolo were leading the team. While Purdy may not excel in a specific skill set, he performs admirably in all aspects of the game and can execute every play as Shanahan designs it—a quality not possessed by every quarterback in the league.
This season, Purdy demonstrated his prowess by leading the league in passer rating, attempts of 20 or more yards, and ranking third in touchdown passes thrown. Despite his typically composed demeanor, there's a hint of daring in Purdy's playstyle: he's known to make at least one daring throw per game, which can either lead to a spectacular success or a disastrous outcome. Additionally, despite not possessing blazing speed, Purdy has shown the ability to make plays with his legs, as demonstrated in multiple instances against the Detroit Lions last month, helping secure the 49ers' place in the Super Bowl.
"This week, Purdy emphasized, "People can overlook you or may not think you’re the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. But if you believe in yourself and you think that you have what it takes and you truly do believe that and you don’t give up on it, then you can achieve it."
Purdy's perceived normalcy becomes even more apparent considering where he plays and who he's up against on Sunday. The 49ers have a storied history, particularly during their golden age in the 1980s and 1990s, led by legendary quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young. Purdy bears the weight of this legacy as he faces off against Patrick Mahomes in Las Vegas. Mahomes, often considered one of the most talented quarterbacks in history, seems to effortlessly achieve success, contrasting with Purdy's hard-earned journey. Mahomes, however, was one of the few who didn't underestimate Purdy's potential coming out of college.
"I’ve seen Brock play since college," Mahomes remarked. "I knew how good he was. So I wasn’t very surprised he’s had the success that he’s had because he’s a winner and he’s a guy that goes out there and competes, and I’ve always said, more than a football player, you’ve got to be someone who competes, and he’s always been one of those guys."
Comments
Post a Comment