Despite his remarkable rise from last pick in the 2022 draft to franchise quarterback for the NFC champions going toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, Brock Purdy continues to be something of a divisive figure among NFL observers.
But one place where there is clear consensus is in Ames, IA, a city that reaffirmed its love for Purdy this weekend as the San Francisco 49ers star hosted his youth football camp at Iowa State.
Unsurprisingly Purdy received a hero's welcome on his latest return to the Cyclones' campus, having helped the program to four successive winning seasons, a run that included a Big 12 title and a Fiesta Bowl victory.
Indeed, the hundreds of young football players in attendance at the camp gave Purdy a huge reception as he entered a field adjacent to Iowa State's Jack Trice Stadium.
Shortly after, Purdy addressed his adoring public and conceded to getting emotional in response to their welcome.
“Man, I appreciate every single one of you guys," Purdy, per The Gazette, told the camp attendees. "Man, I’m getting emotional. I’m back here, home.”
While Purdy has rapidly progressed to greater heights since heading to the NFL and beginning his fairytale journey with the 49ers, he has never forgotten what Iowa State gave him.
Purdy got married in Iowa this offseason, and the strength of his connection with the area played a part in his emotional response this weekend.
“Just the people, man,” said Purdy. Come back here, it’s such a hometown feel. It’s a college town, but you see everybody again, and everyone’s just thriving, and everyone just loves each other and they help each other out — and they helped me understand who I am as a person in this life.
“I mean, those are crucial years, from high school to college in terms of understanding what you believe and what you want to do with life. I found that here, so it’s always nice to come back.
“They’ve followed me and they still have my back. For them [the camp attendees] to grow up and see me playing on the field, that could be them one day. So, for me, I get choked up when I see it. It’s special.”
“Every time I come back to Ames there’s just more development and it looks a little different,” added Purdy. “It’s just exciting because of the growth. Obviously, everybody getting behind Iowa State football and the program and the university, so to come back and just see new things, for me, it’s special, because I feel like all the guys even before me, we’ve tried to just continue to build this place.
“To come back and see the progress is pretty cool.”
Purdy has already left an indelible mark on the history of the 49ers franchise, but the impact he had on Iowa State cannot be overstated. His last game for the Cyclones came in 2021 but it's clear that, through the legacy he left, his incredible NFL success, and the love he continues to show for the area, Purdy has built an everlasting bond with the program.
