Brock Purdy is preparing to start his second-ever NFL playoff game. Sunday's Divisional Round matchup between his San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys will only be the rookie quarterback's seventh career NFL start and his eighth game appearance with extended playing time.
Purdy took over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo during Week 13. At the time, the 49ers were riding a four-game win streak. The winning continued with Purdy under center. San Francisco's last loss came on October 23, 2022, and the team has won 11 consecutive games since.
Purdy may be a rookie, but he has played with the poise and skill of a savvy veteran. He has done everything asked of him, shedding the "Mr. Irrelevant" label that came with being the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Cowboys won't underestimate the 23-year-old quarterback. Purdy passed for 332 yards and three touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks, adding a rushing touchdown in Saturday's 41-23 win.
"He's not a rookie anymore in our eyes," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said this week (h/t 95.7 The Game). "His instincts, his awareness, and his confidence. For a young player, he definitely looks very confident. You don't see a young player making panicked decisions."
Purdy finished the regular season completing 68.3 percent of his passes for 1,308 yards, 13 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a rushing touchdown since taking over for Garoppolo on December 4, 2022.
Purdy is well aware that he is doing something special. However, the young quarterback doesn't lack confidence. He never doubted he could be a successful quarterback.
"Brock loves playing football," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday. "He looks that way every time he is out on the field, whether it was watching him in college or in practice. He's got a competitiveness to him. You can see it in his body language because he is extremely competitive and also has a true love for the game, and that comes out when you're successful out there."