T
hrough three NFL seasons, it is safe to say that the San Francisco 49ers found a gem in quarterback Brock Purdy. The last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the former Iowa State quarterback was not expected to amount to much in the league, with only a small number of Mr. Irrelevants making a name for themselves in the NFL. But Purdy quickly silenced the doubters, taking the 49ers to the NFC championship game as a rookie in 2022 before playing like an MVP candidate for much of 2023 en route to guiding the franchise to the Super Bowl.
And even through a down season in 2024, Pro Football Network still has a ton of faith in Purdy. Since Purdy has taken over as the 49ers’ quarterback, he has looked like their best quarterback in a long time. And PFN agrees, grading him as the 49ers’ best quarterback since 2000– when Jeff Garcia was the team’s starter.
Purdy’s Grade
On June 10, PFN wrote an article on every NFL team’s highest graded QB since 2000. And when it came to the 49ers, PFN grade Purdy’s 2023 season as the best season by a 49ers quarterback since that 2000 campaign, saying that while Purdy did show some weak spots in his game, his ’23 campaign proved why he should not be disrespected.
“Brock Purdy may have entered the league as “Mr. Irrelevant,” but his 2023 season was vital to the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl run,” PFN wrote. “That season, Purdy posted a 12-4 record as a starter and threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He completed 69.4% of his passes and led the NFL in passer rating (113.0), TD rate (7.0%), yards per completion (13.9), and net yards per attempt (8.74). Purdy had some weak spots — notably a -0.17 EPA per dropback in close games and -0.15 when pressured — but he excelled when protected (+0.54 EPA/DB) and on the ground (+0.81 EPA per rush). Love him or doubt him, Purdy delivered when it counted.”
Even though the 49ers fell short in the Super Bowl, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, Purdy’s strong season gave the franchise very high hopes for the future in terms of being able to build around him– eventually leading to him earning a massive contract extension ahead of the 2025 season.
Purdy’s 2025 Outlook
Now that Purdy is locked up for the long term, he will need to show that his 2024 season was a fluke. Marred by injuries en route to a 6-11 finish, Purdy struggled to find that MVP form and was unable to help the 49ers be the high powered offense they were during their Super Bowl season. But with players such as Christian McCaffrey set to be fully healthy, Purdy has the chance to redeem himself and bring the 49ers back to prominence.
But if Purdy has shown anything during his time in San Francisco, it’s that he is able to make plays happen no matter the situation. Known for his scrambling ability, Purdy recorded 323 yards and five touchdowns on the ground–both career highs. Using legs is vital for quarterbacks, especially in today’s era, and if Purdy can keep being a good scrambler, then he will continue to be a playmaker even if he missing some important pieces.
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