What does San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy need to do to prove himself in the NFL? News outlets have released their quarterback rankings, and Purdy seems to be getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment—no respect.
On July 11th, Pro Football Network's Dakota Randall released his top NFC quarterback rankings, placing Purdy at number three, behind Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott. Randall labeled Purdy a glorified game manager who would be nothing without head coach Kyle Shanahan.
ESPN released their top 10 quarterback rankings on July 15th. Purdy was listed as an honorable mention behind Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott, New York Jets' Aaron Rodgers, Houston Texans' CJ Stroud, and Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert. An NFC executive quoted in the article praised Purdy for navigating the pocket and buying time with his legs but stated you are not going to win because of him. The unnamed executive went on to call Purdy a good "system quarterback."
Now, the narrative is that the former Iowa State Cyclone is a system quarterback. But what does that term mean? The Urban Dictionary defines a system quarterback as one who is perceived to be successful but not extraordinarily talented.
Mainstream media often uses the term "system quarterback" to move the goalposts. The problem is that when you use the term as a knock, you forget that all the greats have been successful in an NFL offensive "system."
- Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and John Elway - West Coast Offense
- Warren Moon, Jim Kelly - Run and Shoot Offense
- Tom Brady - Erhardt-Perkins Offense
- Troy Aikman, Peyton Manning, and Kurt Warner - variations of "Air Coryell"
If Purdy is a "system quarterback" or a "game manager," you could say the same thing about Aikman. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback's career numbers include 32,942 passing yards, 165 touchdowns, and 141 interceptions. In his best year, 1992, he threw for 3,445 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, leading the Cowboys to a 52-17 Super Bowl XXVII victory over the Buffalo Bills and was named the game's MVP.
In hindsight, the Cowboys were a run-dominant team led by running back Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 1,713 yards and 18 touchdowns that season, but no one calls Aikman a "game or system manager."
The NFL was a different era when Aikman played because the game was more physical, but who else could have led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl championships?
So, what does Purdy need to do to earn respect from the league and media pundits outside of San Francisco?
The third-year quarterback has already shed the "game manager" label by finishing fourth in MVP voting last season, throwing for 4,281 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He led the 49ers to a 12-4 record, securing home-field advantage in the NFC, and had an impressive playoff run with comeback victories against the Packers and Lions and a near Super Bowl win against the Chiefs.
Name a "game manager" with those numbers and three impressive playoff performances. I'll wait.
Since being named the starting quarterback, Purdy has thrived in Shanahan's system, making the 49ers' offense look dangerous—unlike the five starting quarterbacks before him. The NFL isn't Madden 2025, where you can draft a player or add him in free agency just because of their name and expect them to put up numbers. This is real life.
Maybe Randall is right about Brock not lasting outside of Shanahan's system, but you know what happens when you assume.