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As quarterback Brock Purdy gets ready to start his fourth career playoff game, he knows how close he came to not joining the San Francisco 49ers.
Purdy and his agent had a wide range of options in mind — some if not all of the NFL’s 32 teams — had the 49ers passed on him with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco recently, Purdy recounted his thought process as the draft wound toward the Mr. Irrelevant pick.
“My agent and I had been calling, sort of towards the end of the seventh round, trying to decide where exactly I could go, situationally, with quarterbacks and depth charts and all that kind of stuff,” Purdy told Maiocco.
Purdy certainly had many options amid four quarterbacks on training camp rosters. The former Iowa State standout told Maiocco that he didn’t have any specific teams in mind.
“So we didn’t really make a full decision,” Purdy said. “We were going to right after the draft ended. And then, sure enough, [general manager] John Lynch called, and I got drafted. So I had no choice but to come here. But I was very thankful how it all ended up.”
Purdy became the third quarterback on the 49ers’ roster in 2022, but injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo changed that. In five starts and three playoff games, Purdy led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game before a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brock Purdy Credits 49ers for Continued Success
Purdy only continued a high level of play with a 12-4 mark this season amid 4,280 yards passing for 31 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions. He garnered MVP interest this season, but he missed on making the All-Pro team.
“We’ve got a great team, staff, ownership,” Purdy told Maiocco. “We have everything in terms of what it takes. How can I make the right decisions? How can I be aggressive? How can I be smart and protect the ball? That’s my job. I’ve got to be a point guard and distribute it to the right guys.”
For Purdy, the individual accolades pale in comparison to what he could accomplish with his 49ers teammates — bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to The Bay for the first time since 1995.
Brock Purdy Flattered by Drew Brees Comparison
As Purdy’s legend grows, the quarterback comparisons roll in.
Niners wide receiver and former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead likened Purdy to retired former Saints quarterback Drew Brees. A former Super Bowl champion, Brees led the NFL in passing seven times during his career and made 13 Pro Bowls.
“Drew never had the strongest arm, but he was so pinpoint accurate,” Snead told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He knew when to let the ball go to make sure you’re catching it in stride, and Brock has similar traits. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he can anticipate guys getting open.”
Purdy told Maiocco it “was pretty cool” to hear that comparison. Snead played three seasons with Brees in New Orleans from 2015 to 2017, and Snead has played in four games this season.
“I watched Drew growing up,” Purdy said. “It’s an honor to hear that.”
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