For the job of NFL quarterback being The Most Important Job in Western Civilization**, we sure don’t spend much time talking about Brock Purdy.
(** = the importance of the NFL QB has been summarily determined by the zeitgeist and fantasy football millions and TV advertisers and most major cultural philosophers and social media and mass market beer makers as such and so it is.)
Like, what kind of year is Brock Purdy going to have?
What kind of career is Brock Purdy going to have?
If Brock Purdy is going to line dance and sell me cowboy boots in a new ad, can he also win me a Super Bowl?
In other words — will Brock Purdy fulfill the legacy of the immortal Joe Montana and Steve Young and bring that shiny silver football trophy back to Santa Clara once and for all?
Or will he be just like Jeff Garcia and Colin Kaepernick and Jimmy Garoppolo before him — notable, popular at times, statistically impressive at times . . . but ultimately Miss Congeniality?
I’ve Jock Blogged since the end of last year about Purdy, mostly when we pondered his relative worth on the marketplace. In those JBs, I noted how last year Purdy had to operate without many of his weapons. Those JBs also noted it was also a year where Purdy did not get the job done late and close, which is all that matters in this world, as I was just saying to my good pal Patrick Mahomes. Four NFC West losses — two to the Rams, one to Arizona and one to Seattle (both at home!) — saw Purdy unable to notch a ‘W’ when he had to in a tight finish.
In those previous JBs, we discussed how culpable or not Purdy was. The answer, as is always the case in life, was somewhere in the middle. Defense matters, after all. Shocker, I know. Turns out those Montana and Young Super Bowl teams had guys who sacked the quarterback, too. Funny how that happens.
Anyway, here we are on the doorstep of the Purdy Era. He signed that deal through 2030 and got $182 million guaranteed and we are now in Purdy’s hands for the foreseeable future, starting Sunday in Seattle.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m pleased the 49ers have stability at QB, and I’m pleased Purdy is strong and young and healthy and can line dance.
I’m just going to have to see more from the kid.
And by more, I mean the sort of fourth-quarter finishes that were lacking in those NFC West losses. Even though we can debate as to whether wins are a QB stat, I’ve got news for you: in the black-and-white world of NFL fandom and legacies, wins are a QB stat.
There needs to be a transcendence to Purdy when the game is late and close, and we have yet to fully see it. We have seen the playoff comeback wins over Green Bay and Detroit in the 2023 playoffs, but only one thing matters in this life and we did not see Purdy be transcendent in the ensuing Super Bowl loss. Still hurts to type that.
What does this mean? This means converting that third down with less than five minutes to go, using your legs or your arm or your mind. That means scoring touchdowns with less than two minutes to go, and not relying on a Jake Moody field goal and a defensive stop. That means doing the things that we’ve seen Montana and Mahomes and, yes, Tom Brady do. Heck, even Matt Stafford and Jalen Hurts have done it.
Time for Purdy to do it.
There is an out clause for the 49ers after the 2026 season, you know. By April 1, 2027, the 49ers can buy out Purdy for $27 million.
Nobody wants that. We all want the long-term run of the likable underdog to turn into the long-term run of the Super Bowl champion.
In the next two seasons, Purdy can carve that path.
Let’s have some fun and watch him do it. Because we will be watching, and judging.
—30—
