Brock Purdy has had one of the most interesting careers of any quarterback in the NFL. From being selected with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, earning the nickname Mr. Irrelevant, to becoming the franchise quarterback of one of football’s most historic organizations, his journey has been nothing short of remarkable.
Purdy entered the NFL as San Francisco’s third-string quarterback. Nobody expected him to become the face of the franchise, let alone lead the 49ers to multiple NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance.
But sometimes all a player needs is an opportunity.
That opportunity came during the 2022 season when Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot against the Miami Dolphins, forcing Purdy into action. The following week, Purdy made his first career NFL start against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And he didn’t disappoint.
Purdy completed 16 of 21 passes for 185 yards, threw two touchdowns, and added another on the ground as San Francisco demolished Tampa Bay 35-7.
Yes, Mr. Irrelevant had just beaten the greatest quarterback of all time in his first career start.
From that moment forward, Purdy never looked back.
From Third-String Quarterback to the NFC Championship Game
What made Purdy’s rookie season so impressive wasn’t just that he played well. It was that San Francisco continued winning with him under center.
Purdy helped guide the 49ers through the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs, eventually reaching the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Unfortunately, his remarkable rookie season came to a heartbreaking end. On San Francisco’s very first offensive drive, Purdy suffered a serious elbow injury on a hit by Haason Reddick, knocking him out of the game. The 49ers eventually lost 31-7, leaving fans wondering what might have happened had Purdy remained healthy.
Still, what Purdy accomplished as a rookie was extraordinary.
A player selected with the final pick of the draft had gone from third-string quarterback to leading one of the NFL’s best teams deep into the postseason.
And that was only the beginning.
2023: Purdy Takes the 49ers to the Super Bowl
The following season was Purdy’s first full year as San Francisco’s starting quarterback, and he proved his rookie success wasn’t a fluke.
He threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing nearly 70% of his passes. Including his rushing production, he finished with 33 total touchdowns.
More importantly, he helped San Francisco secure the NFC’s top seed and return to the Super Bowl.
The 49ers eventually faced Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
Purdy played a respectable game, throwing for 255 yards and a touchdown, but San Francisco ultimately fell short in a heartbreaking 25-22 overtime loss.
Despite leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his first full season as a starter, the criticism surrounding Purdy never disappeared.
In fact, it only grew louder.
Is Brock Purdy Just a Product of Kyle Shanahan’s System?
This has been the biggest criticism of Purdy throughout his career.
People argue that anyone can succeed in Kyle Shanahan’s offense because of how much talent San Francisco has surrounding its quarterback.
And to be fair, I understand the argument.
Christian McCaffrey is one of the most versatile running backs in football. George Kittle is one of the best tight ends of his generation. Brandon Aiyuk was an excellent receiver during San Francisco’s Super Bowl run, and Shanahan is widely regarded as one of the best offensive minds in the NFL.
That’s an incredible amount of talent for any quarterback to work with.
Shanahan’s offense also does an excellent job of creating opportunities through play-action, pre-snap motion, and getting receivers into open space.
But here’s my problem with the criticism.
Just because a quarterback plays in a great system doesn’t mean he isn’t a great player himself.
Purdy still has to read defenses, make accurate throws, protect the football, and execute when games are on the line.
Shanahan can draw up an excellent play, but he can’t throw the football for Purdy.
At some point, we have to give the quarterback credit for consistently executing the offense at a high level.
However, the system-quarterback argument received some pretty interesting ammunition during the 2025 season.
2025: Mac Jones Gives Purdy’s Critics Something to Talk About
After throwing 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during the 2024 season, Purdy entered 2025 looking to bounce back.
Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just nine games, forcing backup quarterback Mac Jones into an expanded role.
And Jones played surprisingly well.
This was particularly interesting because Jones had struggled to establish himself as a reliable starting quarterback after his rookie season in New England.
Yet in San Francisco, he looked considerably more comfortable.
Here’s how the two quarterbacks compared during the 2025 regular season.
| Statistic | Mac Jones | Brock Purdy |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | 11 | 9 |
| Completions/Attempts | 201/289 | 197/284 |
| Completion percentage | 69.6% | 69.4% |
| Passing yards | 2,151 | 2,167 |
| Passing touchdowns | 13 | 20 |
| Interceptions | 6 | 10 |
| Passer rating | 97.4 | 100.5 |
| Sacks taken | 16 | 11 |
Now, this comparison is fascinating.
Jones played two more games, yet Purdy actually finished with slightly more passing yards. Their completion percentages were nearly identical, and Jones threw fewer interceptions.
However, Purdy had seven more passing touchdowns despite playing fewer games, and his passer rating was also higher.
Both quarterbacks were productive, but neither completely separated himself from the other in every category.
For Purdy’s critics, this was exactly what they had been waiting for.
They could point to Jones, a quarterback who had struggled elsewhere, stepping into Shanahan’s offense and producing respectable numbers.
Their argument was simple: see what happens when you put a competent quarterback in this system?
And I think that’s a fair point to bring up.
Jones’s success does demonstrate how effective Shanahan’s offense can be. It also shows that San Francisco has built a system capable of getting productive play from multiple quarterbacks.
But does that automatically mean Purdy isn’t a very good quarterback?
Absolutely not.
Purdy still produced more touchdowns and a higher passer rating in fewer games. More importantly, he’s demonstrated over multiple seasons that he can lead San Francisco deep into the playoffs.
Jones playing well doesn’t erase what Purdy has accomplished.
2026: Purdy Is Answering His Critics Again
Fast-forward to the 2026 NFL season, and Purdy is once again making his case as one of the league’s better quarterbacks.
Through five games, San Francisco is undefeated at 5-0, and Purdy has been a major reason for that success.
He has accounted for 14 total touchdowns, ranking second in the NFL behind Josh Allen.
What’s particularly impressive is how well Purdy has protected the football.
Allen has committed five turnovers through five games, compared with just two for Purdy.
That matters.
Quarterback play isn’t just about throwing for 300 yards or making highlight-reel passes. It’s also about making good decisions, protecting possessions, and consistently putting your team in a position to win.
Purdy has been doing exactly that.
San Francisco has also already knocked off the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, winning a thrilling 32-29 game in Week 5.
Purdy wasn’t perfect in that matchup, but he made important throws when his team needed them.
That’s something I value in quarterbacks.
You don’t need to dominate every statistical category to be an excellent player. Sometimes it’s about delivering in the biggest moments and making sure your team has an opportunity to win.
And throughout his career, Purdy has demonstrated that ability.
At What Point Does Brock Purdy Get His Respect?
This is ultimately where I stand on Brock Purdy.
You can criticize his physical limitations. You can argue that Kyle Shanahan deserves a significant amount of credit for his success. You can point to the talented supporting cast or Mac Jones’s production in the same offense.
Those are all reasonable discussions.
But at some point, Purdy’s accomplishments have to speak for themselves.
He’s helped lead San Francisco to two NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance.
He’s produced excellent statistical seasons, demonstrated tremendous efficiency, and continued winning football games despite the criticism surrounding him.
And perhaps most importantly, he’s shown the work ethic and leadership required to go from the final pick in the NFL Draft to a legitimate franchise quarterback.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
I don’t believe Purdy has the same physical talent as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson.
But being a great quarterback isn’t exclusively about physical ability.
It’s about preparation, decision-making, accuracy, leadership, and understanding how to win football games.
Purdy has demonstrated all of those qualities.
Does that mean he’s the best quarterback in football? No.
Does it mean he deserves considerably more respect than he receives? Absolutely.
My Prediction: Brock Purdy Will Win Kyle Shanahan a Super Bowl
I’ll go a step further.
I believe that by the time Brock Purdy’s career is over, he will have led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl victory.
And in doing so, he’ll finally help get that monkey off Kyle Shanahan’s back.
Shanahan has been one of the NFL’s best offensive coaches for years, but the lack of a Super Bowl championship continues to follow him.
San Francisco has come painfully close multiple times, including its overtime loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII.
Eventually, I believe Purdy and Shanahan will get over that final hurdle together.
The 49ers have built a consistently competitive organization, Shanahan remains an excellent coach, and Purdy has shown that he can lead this team against the best competition in football.
Winning a Super Bowl is never guaranteed, especially in a league with quarterbacks like Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson standing in your way.
But I genuinely believe Purdy has what it takes.
And when that day comes, perhaps people will finally stop questioning whether he’s good enough to lead a championship team.
Final Thoughts
So, how good is Brock Purdy?
I think he’s a very good quarterback who has already accomplished more than anyone could have reasonably expected when he entered the league.
He’s not the most physically gifted quarterback, and he certainly benefits from playing in an excellent offensive system.
But that doesn’t take away from his accomplishments.
Two NFC Championship Game appearances, a Super Bowl appearance, and an undefeated start to the 2026 season are difficult to dismiss.
Mac Jones’s success in 2025 certainly adds an interesting wrinkle to the conversation, but I don’t believe it proves that Purdy is replaceable.
There’s a difference between executing an offense effectively and consistently leading a team deep into the postseason.
Purdy has demonstrated he can do both.
You can call Brock Purdy a system quarterback if you want. I’ll call him a franchise quarterback who I believe will eventually bring another Lombardi Trophy to San Francisco.
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