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Sometime in the future, there may be a movie released called "Mr. Irrelevant: The
Brock Purdy Story." The San Francisco 49ers quarterback can craft a compelling ending for the film in the coming weeks by leading his team to a Super Bowl victory in only his second NFL season.
Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young believes it would be a great film and that fans are witnessing something special this season. The entire Bay Area is energized as the 49ers prepare for their playoff run after securing the NFC's top seed and home-field advantage. Purdy, who started last season buried on the depth chart, is a big reason for the team's success.
Purdy recently joined Young as one of only three 49ers quarterbacks to ever throw for over 4,000 yards in a single season. The other, Jeff Garcia, held the franchise record for the most passing yards in a single season until Purdy broke that record against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
The young quarterback has fans eager to see what comes next in the movie-worthy storyline.
"The Bay Area is completely energized, like it hasn't been for a long time, about this team, these guys, including Brock, and just the excitement that it brings," Young said Wednesday on Bay Area radio station KNBR's "Tolbert and Copes" show. "So this season that he's had ... absolutely an incredible season, and incredible efficiency.
"And really, I got to, again, tip my cap to [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan], that's built a system that can be so incredibly efficient."
Purdy has thrown for 4,280 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while achieving an NFL-leading 113.0 passer rating. The quarterback with the next-highest passer rating is Dak Prescott, who is at 104.2.
Purdy has been impressing Young all season. The Hall of Famer admires the second-year quarterback's ability to get the ball out of his hands quickly, throw with anticipation, and his processing power.
"You have to be great at it in this league, but he is, like, elite," Young shared. "And that ball is out, and it's out early. ... The job of quarterback, the job of getting in the huddle, calling the play and then running the play, getting the most out of that play, figuring out how to get the ball out of your hands and make a gain, and to be nine of 10, or 18 of 20, and all of a sudden that just opens up so much more of the offense.
"And I've always said, for Patrick Mahomes, or Josh Allen, or those guys that have all these incredible Superman capabilities, the job that they really need to focus on is the job that we're talking about what Brock is thriving at."
Purdy's efficiency has resulted in a record-breaking 2023 campaign for the 49ers offense. This season's unit made NFL history as the first team to have a running back (
Christian McCaffrey at 2,023), two wide receivers (
Brandon Aiyuk at 1,317 and
Deebo Samuel at 1,085), and a tight end (
George Kittle at 1,022) each amass 1,000 or more scrimmage yards in a single season.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Young below.
The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up to elevate quarterback Brock Purdy to their highest-paid player status starting next year. Negotiations for a contract extension with the young signal-caller, entering his third NFL season, are on the horizon.
Purdy's on-field performance has far exceeded his current salary. Last season, he set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance while earning a base salary of $870,000. Even for the upcoming season, his salary will only bump up to $985,000. That may sound like a lot to the ordinary person, but it is only a fraction of the team's salary cap.
However, Purdy's next contract is expected to catapult him into the ranks of the NFL's highest-paid players. That title
Steve Young believes the San Francisco 49ers may have missed their best opportunity for the organization's sixth Super Bowl victory. It was an uphill battle for the 49ers in the playoffs, requiring two comeback victories against perceived weaker opponents before suffering an overtime defeat in Las Vegas against the Kansas City Chiefs.
For various reasons, the Hall of Fame quarterback feels that it was head coach Kyle Shanahan's best opportunity to silence his critics and finally emerge victorious in the NFL title game.
Now, it's too early to predict how the 2024 season will unfold. The Niners could be just as competitive as last season. They might find themselves at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday, February 9, 2025, competing against
Fans had the opportunity to cheer for Brock Purdy tonight as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park, preceding the Giants' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
QB1 has arrived 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FDDdVS30p4— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 15,
Rumors circulated before and during the 2024 NFL Draft about the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers losing one of their top two wide receivers—Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. Such a scenario could have significantly impacted the team's success in the upcoming season and posed a potential blow for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has thrived alongside the dynamic duo on the field.
However, none of these speculations came to fruition. Both Aiyuk and Samuel remain on the roster, at least for another season, though their future beyond that remains uncertain.
Aiyuk is seeking a contract extension that would position him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. At the same time, Samuel already commands a significant salary following a deal rework in 2022.
