San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy only got his chance to play in 2022 after the two quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart suffered injuries. The team was already considered a Super Bowl contender, boasting a talent-rich roster and playmakers at nearly every position.
Purdy stepped in and helped guide the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game during his rookie season. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow early in that matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, ending San Francisco's Super Bowl hopes.
Pro Football Focus' lead analyst, Sam Monson, believes that at that point, Purdy may have been a bit "overrated." After all, he took over a championship-contending roster and was playing in one of the most creative offenses in football. There is no doubt that the young quarterback benefitted from that situation.
A year later, Monson now categorizes Purdy as "underrated."
"Opinions on this guy are all over the map, but I think it's fair to say that, at this point, Brock Purdy is underrated because he started off, and I think he was vastly overrated, being given all the credit for that 49ers offense," Monson recently explained on a Pro Football Focus podcast. "But as time went on, he started to pick up a bigger and bigger piece of what was happening there. And now, I think he's actually playing at a phenomenal level."
Purdy remains surrounded by a talented supporting cast, including running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle. It's tough to ignore their contributions in Purdy setting a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards last season. Still, it would be naive to overlook the quarterback's play.
"And, okay, he's helped out by that incredible group of skill-position players, by Kyle Shanahan's offense, but Brock Purdy is playing incredibly well right now," Monson continued. "He is underrated."
Monson's co-host, Steve Palazzolo, another Pro Football Focus analyst, added, "It is true he's elevated by Shanahan and all those playmakers, but just like [QB] Tua [Tagovailoa] in Miami, the anticipation that he plays with, his accuracy, the way he makes plays under pressure, extends plays in ways that previous Shanahan quarterbacks couldn't do. I think Purdy has played really good football, in addition to having all that help around him."
Monson concluded, "He started off, and he was being given too much credit. And now, I think he's probably not being given enough credit."