Brock Purdy has undeniably answered the 49er’s call for a franchise quarterback. While the humble, mild-mannered Iowa State product might not yet be praised in the same sequence as Joe Montana and Steve Young, that is the direction that he is heading. In his three-year tenure with the storied franchise, Purdy has gone from Mr. Irrelevant as the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft to the face of pro football in Northern California.
From Jeff Garcia to Alex Smith, onto a Superbowl appearance with controversial pivot Colin Kaepernick, who shortly fizzled out after a much-hyped stint of NFL stardom. From there, the team’s hopes rested with Jimmy Garropolo. Jimmy G, with his Hollywood good looks and the ability to rally the Niners to a surprising win streak in 2017, was rewarded with a massive contract and labeled the quarterback of the future in San Francisco.
The investment in Jimmy G became volatile with his torn ACL in 2018, which left the quarterback sidelined and put the 49ers out of contention that season, finishing with a 4-12 record. Success followed shortly thereafter, with Garropolo coming out hot in 2019. He returned to his previous form and more, considering their NFC Championship win and the first of what would be two matchups against Kansas City in a Super Bowl.
The Niners put together a string of fine seasons with Jimmy G at the helm. Ultimately, injuries got the better of him. Despite being remembered as one of the franchise’s better quarterbacks, his time to move on came in 2023, when Garropolo officially left San Francisco by signing a three-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
That move signaled the beginning of the Brock Purdy era. Purdy jumped from having been third string. Injuries to Trey Lance and, then again to Garoppolo, allowed Purdy to start and instill some degree of confidence among his teammates and head coach Kyle Shanahan. His first two starts ran a quarterback rating of over 115. It was a remarkable feat that had only been reached once by four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, no less. Purdy left a strong impression on established NFL stars like Tom Brady with his fine play early in his career.
“I’m sitting on the sideline and wondering how Mr. Irrelevant is carving us up?” Brady said on the 49ers game cast. “Is our defense that bad? It turns out that Brock is just that good.”
Purdy has not entirely escaped the injury bug, as he has been sidelined for mild elbow injuries and concussion protocol. Each time, though, he has returned to full strength and exceeded his previous performances. This past season was disappointing for the 49ers, but the team was riddled with injuries to key players, including Purdy, who was also sidelined for two of the team’s 11 losses in 2024.
The 49ers are in a good position with the number 11 pick to draft an impact player for 2025, but their most imminent need remains to sign Brock Purdy as their quarterback for the foreseeable future. Despite leading the team to the NFC Championship twice, and losing by a field goal in the Super Bowl LVIII rematch with the Chiefs, Purdy has been dramatically underpaid. He is projected to make just over 5M in 2025 due to a predefined performance escalator that the league has in place. The 49ers, however, should do everything possible to sign Brock Purdy long-term right now.
There might not be a franchise in the NFL with a quarterback history that is as proud and as rich in history as the San Francisco 49ers. Ownership now needs to approach Brock Purdy with a long-term deal that matches the AAV of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The 49ers, when healthy, will have the supporting cast to help Brock Purdy excel in the league. Making him a 49’er for life is a thought that should be put into action very soon.
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