The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for a playoff rematch against the Dallas Cowboys. The two teams clashed in last season's Wild Card Round, with the Niners coming away with a 23-17 win.
Before that playoff game, the last time the two teams met in the postseason was following the 1994 season. Brock Purdy wasn't even born yet, so you can hardly blame the 23-year-old rookie quarterback for not being too familiar with the rivalry.
"Obviously, in the 90s and stuff, they went at it," Purdy told reporters on Thursday. "There's a lot of history, and there's a lot of Super Bowls between the two organizations. So to be a part of it, I'm very thankful."
Purdy's knowledge of the historic rivalry, one of the best in NFL history, is limited to what he has seen in highlights.
"Obviously, Super Bowl MVPs and Hall of Famers in those games, so it's pretty cool," Purdy added.
Of course, Purdy isn't concerned with the history of the 49ers-Cowboys rivalry. He wants to win Sunday's game, helping San Francisco advance to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in four years.
"We just want to win. We want to do our part, and all the other stuff will fall into place," Purdy explained.
The 49ers are coming off a 41-23 playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys are coming off a 31-14 playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting the stage for Sunday's matchup at Levi's Stadium.
"I feel like they're just talented across the board, up front," Purdy said of the Cowboys defense. "I think they're well-coached. You could tell, with their scheme and everything that they do, there's definitely a plan that they have, and they go at it. And all five of their guys, four of their guys, whoever's on the field, they pay attention to detail in the pass rush, which I feel is a good challenge for us.
"I feel like we've played a handful of teams that do a good job and are well coached up front, but these guys are one of the best at it, and will be one of the best challenges that we'll see."