ESPN analyst Ryan Clark recently expressed skepticism about Brock Purdy, downplaying the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's accomplishments this season compared to other playoff quarterbacks. Purdy's teammates, wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, swiftly came to his defense.
During ESPN's "First Take," Clark shared his doubts about Purdy's standing among elite quarterbacks, saying, "The single hardest thing I had to do this year was act like Brock Purdy deserved to be in the conversations with [Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson]."
The sentiment caught the attention of the 49ers players. Samuel took to Instagram to express his disagreement, stating:
Never seen so much hate for a qb that lead the league in almost every category y'all folks be bugging frfr. That [tape] don't tell no lies
Purdy finished the season completing nearly 70 percent of his passes for 4,280 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He set a new franchise record for the most passing yards in a single season, leading the NFL in passer rating (113.0), yards per attempt (9.6), and yards per reception (13.9).
Aiyuk also defended Purdy on Instagram, urging critics like Clark to watch the film:
Y'all need to stop the DS'n and turn on the tape! That's for everybody. EVERYBODY
Purdy and the 49ers are coming off a 24-21 Divisional Playoff comeback win over the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium. Despite initial struggles, Purdy orchestrated a 12-play, 69-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes, advancing the 49ers to their third consecutive NFC Championship Game. They will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
In the crucial game-winning drive, Purdy completed six of his seven passes, with his nine-yard scramble setting up Christian McCaffrey's touchdown run. The quarterback finished the game with 23 completions on 39 attempts, 252 passing yards, and a touchdown.