With all the issues the 49ers have faced this season, there have been many more questions than answers. One burning topic that will be on the minds of every member of their front office at the end of the year is quite obvious, what do we do with Brock Purdy? Early on in the year, Purdy seemed destined to receive a massive extension, placing him amongst the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. As the 49ers have struggled mightily, however, there may be some hesitation to give Purdy a massive deal. Purdy has proven his critics wrong time and time again, now it seems he will have to prove to the 49ers organization he has earned his stripes.
Also Read: San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy is in Elite Company
Brock Purdy, The Former Mr. Irrelevant
With the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select… Brock Purdy. With that statement, Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy became known as “Mr. Irrelevant”, the term given to the player selected last in the NFL Draft. Purdy had a successful career while at Iowa State, leading the Cyclones to a Fiesta Bowl victory his junior year.
When Purdy was selected by the San Francisco 49ers, there was not a lot of expectations for Mr. Irrelevant. Most of the time, a seventh-round draft pick has a very slim chance to even make an NFL roster. Purdy’s job was to be a backup to Trey Lance, the 49ers’ third pick in the draft in 2021. Very early on in the 2022 training camp, however, head coach Kyle Shanahan knew there was something special about the young quarterback.
Trey Lance was supposed to be the guy for San Francisco. The front office invested a lot of time and money in making Lance the next great 49ers quarterback. The backup quarterback in 2022 was Jimmy Garoppolo, the former starter who took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019. The 49ers had drafted Lance to replace Garoppolo because of the consistent struggles Garoppolo suddenly developed. Little did the coaching staff know, that the third quarterback on the depth chart was about to make his presence very well known.
After injuries to Lance and Garoppolo in the 2022 season, Purdy took over the starting role and ran with it. He was cool, calm, and very much collected. Obviously, the 49ers offense had a lot of talented players when he took over, but it was the leadership of Purdy that tied it all together. Purdy took the 49ers all the way to the NFC Championship before injuring his throwing elbow in a loss to the Eagles.
After being named the starter going into 2023, Purdy found himself in the MVP discussion throughout the season, leading San Francisco all the way to the Super Bowl. Although the 49ers fell just short of a championship, Brock Purdy was simply masterful last season. Although 2024 has been a struggle for the entire 49ers team, Purdy has, once again, been the guy who has held this team together.
Brock Purdy has been through a whirlwind of emotions since he first set foot on the NFL scene. With 2025 being the final season of his rookie contract, many are wondering, what happens next for Brock Purdy? Obviously, 2024 has been an awful season for the 49ers, both on and off the field. Their performance on the field has been poor and their countless injuries have thrown a massive wrench in their plans to get back to the Super Bowl.
When it comes to the national media, not many players are as highly criticized as Brock Purdy. When he wins, he’s criticized, when he loses, he’s beyond criticized. Can you really blame Purdy for the team’s performance this year? With all the injuries and dysfunction occurring in San Francisco in 2024, Purdy is trying his best to keep the ship afloat. When everything is clicking, there aren’t many quarterbacks in the league as good as Brock Purdy. 2023 was proof of that.
Ultimately it comes down to this, does Brock Purdy deserve to be paid the big bucks? That remains to be seen of course. In my honest opinion, 100% yes. Purdy is a winner, and he will continue to be the face of the 49ers franchise for years to come. Show the man some respect.
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