For the second straight year, Brock Purdy led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.
However, things could have looked very different for the second-year quarterback heading into the 2023 NFL season, as Purdy revealed that the starting role wasn't always assured despite an impressive rookie performance. After undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right throwing arm and rehabilitating throughout the summer, Purdy was told he would be a starter in 2023 — with one exception.
If the 49ers could bring seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady home to the Bay to play for the team he grew up rooting for, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told Purdy they would have Brady in 2023 would put in his place. Although Purdy understood that given the situation involving Tom Brady, he was a little disappointed by the news – but still motivated.
“That meant so much to me,” Purdy told ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “I remember [Shanahan] We say if we can get Tom Brady, we'll try to get him. And I thought, 'Yeah, he's the GOAT.' I get it.' But something deep inside me kind of thought, 'Dude, I just showed you I can play well in this system.' And we were just one game away from the Super Bowl.” … Most of all, I thought, 'Okay, now let's go.'”
Being doubted and pushed to the floor is nothing new for Purdy, however, as he went last in the 2022 NFL Draft and was selected by San Francisco with the very last pick.
After injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, he went from being the third rookie quarterback in San Francisco to starting a playoff team. And within weeks, Mr. Irrelevant was anything but.
The Brady news isn't a complete surprise, however, as the 49ers have been linked to the three-time MVP in the past. The San Mateo native announced his (second) retirement from the NFL last February, but fans weren't entirely convinced he was hanging up his cleats for good.
A return to the game he loved in the city less than 30 miles from his hometown of San Mateo, California seemed like the perfect end to his beloved NFL career, but the fairytale ending was one that only the 49ers could believe Brady officially ended his playing career.
But The Faithful doesn't have much to regret as Purdy stepped in well, to say the least.
In 16 appearances this season, Purdy only missed the regular-season finale after the 49ers clinched the NFC's No. 1 playoff spot. Purdy ranked first in the league in several metrics, including yards per attempt (9.6) and yards per dropback (8.8). , yards per completion (13.9) and expected points added per dropback (0.26).
Of course, Purdy is not Brady. But just like Brady's story, it's not about how you got there, it's about what you do when the opportunity presents itself. And that story is still being written for Purdy.
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