Brock Purdy is a rare talent at the quarterback position. Famously dubbed the best “Mr. Irrelevant” draft pick of all time, he was rewarded this past offseason with a contract to represent an elite NFL quarterback. While fans continue to debate whether he truly ranks among the league’s top ten, one thing is clear: Purdy is a vital piece of a 49ers team that has consistently made deep playoff runs in recent years.
Brock Purdy’s Emergence in 2023
Former Teammate Arik Armstead appeared on First Things First and explained what makes the Quarterback so special.
“I’ll tell you this. I talked to a lot of the receivers at the time, Aiyuk, Deebo. Like what’s the difference because I felt like in 2023 that was the best offense we’ve had during my entire tenure of that time. When I talked to the receivers the major difference on how Brock changed our team was the receivers felt like they could get the ball on any play. It switched from “OK I’m out of the progression, I’m just doing a run off route” to “I better run my best route regardless of the play because Purdy may just throw it to me and I feel like I’m better than the DB covering me and he gives me the opportunity” and the receivers love that and you can see how our offense took off that year.”
It’s been a few years since Purdy burst onto the scene. But man, that 2023 season was extraordinary. Purdy took over, and it was immediately clear that he was a significant upgrade over Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance. Even though neither of those two played well for San Francisco, it was surprising to see “Mr. Irrelevant” take over and immediately perform better than a third overall pick and a guy who took you to a Super Bowl.
Purdy ultimately threw 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions in seven games, going undefeated until being knocked out of the NFCCG against the Eagles—a phenomenal burst onto the pro football scene.
What Makes 49ers’ Brock Purdy a Special Talent
Armstead went on to discuss what makes Purdy such a talent at the most difficult position in sports.
“Purdy’s ability to open up the offense and make uncharacteristic, off-schedule plays, and really open up the offense…If he feels like Aiyuk was maybe a little covered, but he felt like Aiyuk was better than the guy, he was gonna throw him the ball and we hadn’t had that in previous years.”
The playmaking from Purdy is one of his most unique attributes. It’s one of the biggest reasons why the 49ers had one of the most explosive offenses in 2023. He may not have the physical prowess of a play-extending signal caller, but once you turn on the tape, you can’t miss it. Even last year, when the 49ers were missing much of the talent on their offense, Purdy kept the season alive.
Once you hear how the players view Purdy, it’s easy to see why the Niners front office had no problem paying him. Brock is the real deal. With a healthy offense, he should be expected to lead the five-time world champs to another deep playoff run again this season.
