In the NFL, the term "system quarterback" is a pejorative.
It means the quarterback really isn't that good. And if he puts up good numbers, those merely are a reflection of the offensive system he's in. He can't elevate an offense on his own. Think Jared Goff. He's a statue who's only as effective as his playcaller and supporting cast.
Which brings us to Brock Purdy. He's had the system quarterback label since he became the 49ers starting quarterback in 2022, mostly because he was the last pick in the Draft. But is he really a system quarterback?
I think that's a bad way to describe him. When I think of system quarterbacks, I think of quarterbacks who can't make plays on their own. And that's not Purdy. He is a terrific playmaker and scrambler -- in fact, scrambling might be his best attribute.
I would call Purdy a "situation quarterback," meaning he's good in the right situation. He got drafted by a team that was coming off an NFC Championship appearance and had just traded for Christian McCaffrey. When Jimmy Garoppolo went down, the 49ers had won four games in a row. They were rolling. Purdy just kept the team on their roll. He couldn't have gone to a better situation.
As opposed to C.J. Stroud, who got drafted by the Houston Texans who were coming off a three-win season, and immediately led them to back-to-back seasons with a playoff victory. Or Jayden Daniels, who got drafted by the Washington Commanders who were coming off a four-win season and immediately led them to the NFC Championship game.
Both Stroud and Daniels are the best players on their respective teams. Purdy isn't even in the top five of the 49ers' best players -- that's why he tends to lose when their stars get injured. See: 2024.
As long as the situation around him is elite, he'll be elite. Unfortunately for Purdy, the supporting cast never will be what it used to be now that he's the highest-paid player in franchise history.
