Brock Purdy has faced his fair share of criticism in his relatively short NFL career. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has repeatedly encountered questions about being labeled a "game manager" and the constant attempts to diminish his achievements since being selected as the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
However, Purdy isn't fazed by the ongoing discussions surrounding his value. He remains laser-focused on Sunday's showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.
"No, it's all good. I mean, that's the sport, man," Purdy said Thursday. "That's the nature of it. You're in the NFL. Everybody's going to be watching you. You're in a spotlight. People are going to obviously want to see you have success, and some people are going to want to see your downfall. That's just the nature of it."
One might expect Purdy's remarkable 2023 campaign to have silenced his critics. He set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards, an even more impressive feat considering the quarterback lineage of the storied organization.
Purdy threw 31 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. His 113.0 passer rating, 9.6 yards per attempt, and 13.9 yards per completion all led the NFL. Yet, even as he gears up for the Super Bowl, Purdy finds that he can't sway all of his skeptics.
"And so, honestly, it makes it entertaining," Purdy continued. "It makes it sort of fun. Do I get wrapped up in it? No, but obviously, you hear things every so often. And I think, at the end of the day, after all this is said and done, it'll be something sort of fun for everybody to look back at."
Perhaps lifting the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night will finally silence the negative narrative.
"Some people are going to want to see your downfall ... after all this is said and done, it'll be something sort of fun for everybody to look back at."
Purdy on being a lightning rod for controversy 👀 pic.twitter.com/Rwx8bPhqHb
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) February 9, 2024
