San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has earned the unwavering confidence of his teammates, even if some critics remain skeptical. Despite leading the 49ers to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance early in his career, some continue to credit his success to his supporting cast and head coach Kyle Shanahan's system.
Former NFL wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who spent part of the 2019 season with the 49ers, shared insights from a conversation with receiver Deebo Samuel about Purdy during an appearance on the "Up and Adams" show.
"As far as Purdy, I just don't understand why people just keep sleeping on him," Sanders told host Kay Adams (h/t Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area). "I was talking to Deebo last year just about Purdy and I said, 'Man, what is it about Purdy?' And he said, 'Man, you should see him in the huddle. He comes in the huddle, he plays with a certain confidence, he comes in, he believes, he makes other guys believe.' And I've played with quarterbacks like that, and that's the type of guy that the Niners have."
Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 NFL quarterbacks, with Purdy coming in at No. 13. More insulting than the placement itself was that the analytics site categorized the 49ers quarterback within the fourth tier of its ranking, labeled "the melting pot of starters."
Understandably, the ranking drew criticism from fans. Purdy is coming off an impressive 2023 campaign. Following offseason surgery on his throwing arm, the quarterback threw for a single-season franchise record of 4,280 passing yards while leading the NFL with a 113.0 passer rating.
Sanders continued, "I mean, last year, he was a couple of plays away from being a Super Bowl champion. Would that ranking still be the same [if he won]? Everything I'm hearing is just keep sleeping on Purdy; he's going to keep proving them wrong. What a heck of a story to go from Mr. Irrelevant to being relevant and going to the Super Bowl last [season]. And I'm rooting for Purdy. I hope they finish it this year and go win it all."
