Shannon Sharpe doubles down on 49ers QB Brock Purdy: “I knew what he was to begin with”

Shannon Sharpe recently voiced his opinion of Brock Purdy, sharing that he didn't like that some were labeling the San Francisco 49ers quarterback as "elite." On Tuesday morning, following the 49ers' second consecutive loss, the "First Take" co-host reaffirmed his stance.

Sharpe was asked if he's lost confidence in the 49ers' second-year quarterback.

"Lost confidence? I knew what he was to begin with," Sharpe declared to his co-hosts. "I noticed when we had this conversation about three weeks ago, Stephen A. [Smith], I was trending because I said Brock Purdy wasn't elite.

"Now, all of a sudden, I ain't get nothing. Nobody was on my timeline [saying], Shannon doesn't know what he's talking about. Shannon's a hater. He's jealous. I didn't get any of that last night."

Sharpe contends that the Vikings' strategy of neutralizing running back Christian McCaffrey forced Purdy to prove he can continue to make plays without the help of his dynamic playmakers.

McCaffrey played through a slight tear of his oblique, and the team entered the game minus wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

"We want the ball in that elite quarterback's hands, Brock Purdy," Sharpe said. "And what happened? Two interceptions. ... They had three turnovers in their first six games. They had three last night."

Sharpe added, "When everything around him couldn't be perfect, and they asked Brock Purdy to deliver us, he didn't. He didn't do it. He is what he is. ... When things are really, really well, he can operate within that system. But when you ask him to go outside and to be extraordinary—Christian McCaffrey can't run the football, you're down Deebo—and then you saw what happened.

"He is what he is, and I didn't lose confidence because I knew what he was to begin with."