Joe Shasky from 95.7 The Game expressed his bewilderment on Tuesday morning, questioning why San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy doesn't receive the respect he deserves. The second-year player is coming off a phenomenal game, completing 21 of his 25 passing attempts for 333 yards and three touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
Analysts quickly criticized Purdy during the 49ers' three-game losing streak, but the quarterback has played impressive football since then. In a conversation with respected NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, Shasky commended Purdy's ability to recognize what is developing on the field before and after the ball is snapped.
"He does so many things so well, and I'm just blown away at the way he climbs up in the pocket, protects himself, throws perfectly to a guy in stride downfield," Shasky explained. "I feel like the way we talk about quarterback, he doesn't fit any of those descriptive things, and he doesn't do the highlight stuff. Yet, all I do is watch this dude make unbelievable plays."
Baldinger responded by drawing a comparison between Purdy and a legendary Hall of Fame quarterback familiar to 49ers fans.
"You know who you're describing right there? You're describing Joe Montana," Baldinger said. "Like, you go out and shake Joe Montana's hand back in the day, there's nothing that wows you about Joe except the way that he played the game and the fact that he never felt pressure. And if you need to go have a game-winning Super Bowl drive in the final two minutes, he could be looking at John Candy on the sideline.
"All that stuff is legendary right now, but maybe that's what we're looking at because you shake [Purdy's] hand, he might have the smallest hands I've ever shook from a quarterback. And then you look at his frame, he doesn't have a big frame."
Purdy's lack of elite physical attributes makes his performances even more remarkable. He is on track to surpass 4,500 passing yards and 30 touchdowns this season. That's more passing yards than any quarterback in franchise history. The last 49ers signal-caller to surpass the 4,000-yard mark was Jeff Garcia in 2000.
Baldinger, discussing Purdy's standout play against a formidable Buccaneers defense, said, "He was just amazing, the way he sees the field."
The analyst praised the 49ers' ability to block out all outside noise, noting that Purdy's teammates have unwavering confidence in the young quarterback.
"They know they're playing with an elite player," Baldinger said. "They know it. And so the outside noise is, 'He can't throw the deep. Oh, his arm strength. Oh, he's a product of the system.' It's like just white noise to them right now."
Purdy and the 49ers have a challenging three-game stretch ahead. First, they'll play the division rival Seattle Seahawks on Thanksgiving night. Then, they'll travel to Philadelphia for an NFC Championship Game rematch against the Eagles before returning home to face the Seahawks again.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Baldinger below.