Heading into last year's draft, there was much speculation about quarterback Brock Purdy's arm strength—or perceived lack thereof. This narrative persisted even after the San Francisco 49ers selected him as the final overall pick and continued as the rookie quarterback took over the starting role due to injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Then, many questioned his effectiveness on deeper passes following offseason surgery to repair a torn UCL in his throwing arm.
This season, only Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence boasts a superior Pro Football Focus grade when throwing beyond 20 yards (97.4 vs. 97.2). Additionally, when targeting players beyond that mark, Purdy trails only Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in passer rating (144.2 vs. 136.7).
During Sunday's 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Purdy showcased his arm strength by delivering a 76-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, marking the longest throw of his career.
PURDY TO AIYUK. 76-YARD TOUCHDOWN.
📺: #TBvsSF on FOX
— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2023
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/jckqnJwdb2 pic.twitter.com/PQMIcpKyIW
Needless to say, Purdy has been phenomenal on deep passes, silencing his doubters.
"I think [Purdy's arm is] definitely stronger than what we thought it was when we drafted him, but we saw that the first day out of rookie minicamp," head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday morning via a conference call. "I think when people talk about arm strength, can he sit there and take three hitches and make the wrong decision and just wait and throw 70 yards down the field? Probably not, but when do you ever want a guy to do that? On the Hail Mary, maybe?
"But you like guys who can make all the throws in the timing of the play, which is usually going by the right decisions, and when to throw it deep, when to throw it short, when to check it down, when to go over the middle. And Brock's always had the arm strength to make all those throws."
As for Purdy's overall play against the Buccaneers, it was statistical perfection. The quarterback achieved a perfect passer rating of 158.3, completing 21 of his 25 passing attempts for 333 yards and three touchdowns.
Shanahan praised his second-year quarterback, stating, "He played at a real high level, made real good decisions, was very smart with the ball, and he played like his numbers looked. It was very impressive."
