NFL Legends Debate Brock Purdy’s Worth with the 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy are negotiating what is expected to be a top-of-the-market contract extension.

Despite an underwhelming 2024 campaign, Purdy boasts one of the most impressive resumes for a third-year quarterback. He has a 4-2 playoff record, an MVP-finalist season, and was a defensive stop away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Purdy’s success should rank him in the upper echelon of signal-callers. However, he still has his detractors.

Earlier this week, NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms said he would not pay Purdy market value. Now, two former NFL legends have chimed in on Purdy’s value.

NFL Legends Debate Brock Purdy Contract

ormer NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson discussed Purdy’s impending contract negotiations with the 49ers on the latest episode of their “Nightcap” podcast. They agreed that San Francisco should pay its young signal-caller while differing on Purdy’s value.

Sharpe begins by defending Purdy’s assumed worth.

“They should [pay him]. The question, though, is — he’s been to two NFC Championship Games, he’s been to a Super Bowl. This year had a lot of injuries, [but] what’s the number? Are we putting him at $55-to-60 million? Or are we somewhere between $35- and 45 million? That’s the question,” Sharpe said. “I don’t think the question is the deal, it’s just the number in the deal.”

Johnson responds by stating Purdy is undeserving of a contract in the upper tier of average annual quarterback salaries.

“I say [in the $30-to-$45-million] range,” Johnson added. “I’m not sure what his agent wants to do, but knowing an agent, an agent wants to get as much as possible.”

However, Sharpe pushes back on Johnson, pointing to Purdy’s playoff success compared to other highest-paid quarterbacks.

“He’s done something Dak Prescott has never done: been to an NFC Championship Game, going to the Super Bowl,” Sharpe explained. “Dak got [$60 million], so what’s your argument for Purdy not to get [$60 million] too?”

While Johnson agrees with Sharpe’s point, the former Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver still does not believe Purdy is worth $60 million per year.

“When it comes to negotiations, if they go in there with that and put it on the table and say it just like that, right then on paper and slap that down on [John Lynch’s] desk, he ain’t got no argument,” Johnson shared. “You have no argument. But listen, as a football person that understands the game and understands the different positions, Brock Purdy is not a $60 million quarterback, and I mean that with no disrespect.”

While the San Francisco 49ers and Brock Purdy continue negotiations, their commitment to the former Mr. Irrelevant remains true.

49ers Committed to Purdy

During the team’s season-ending press conference, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan hitched their future to Brock Purdy’s success.

“What we know about Brock is he’s our guy,” Lynch said. “We have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He’s done so much for our organization. He’s won big games and had a little tougher task as we all did this year with some of the things that happened this year. We just could never string games where we’re all together. Through that, he continued to lead. He continued to play at a high level. So we have every interest in him being around.”

Shanahan followed by revealing he plans for Purdy to be in San Francisco for as long as his coaching tenure will allow.