Getty 49ers Brock Purdy (left) and coach Kyle Shanahan
It’s getting to be a repetitive and silly question. In fact, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan says he “hates” the whole conversation. But give him some credit—no matter how many times he is asked about the 49ers Brock Purdy and his ability to lead a team to the Super Bowl, Shanahan gives a thoughtful answer.
He was asked again whether Purdy is a Super Bowl quarterback on Thanksgiving after the 49ers took apart the Seahawks with a 31-13 drubbing that included Purdy going 21-for-30 passing for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
“The words, ‘elite,’ and ‘Super Bowl quarterback,’ I mean, this is the NFL,” Kyle Shanahan said in his postgame press conference. “You’ve got to have a really good football team to even have a chance to get there. And when you have a really good football team, you better have a really good quarterback. And when you do that, you still better have luck with injuries, you still gotta play good defense, you gotta do everything.
“There have also been a lot of great quarterbacks who haven’t won Super Bowls, and the ones who do, don’t win them on their own. They’ve got to be on a really good team, and they’ve got to have good defenses and there’s so many things that go into it, I always kind of hate the conversation.”
Christian McCaffrey Carries the Day
Fact is, the 49ers’ Brock Purdy does not need to be an all-time great for the team to have a real shot at a Super Bowl win this year. That was clear on Thursday with the wrecking-ball running game that the 49ers flashed against Seattle, with running back Christian McCaffrey rolling up 114 yards on the ground to continue to lead the NFL in rushing yardage.
McCaffrey had first-half touchdown runs of eight yards and one yard, and the 49ers amassed a 24-3 halftime lead. Elijah Mitchell, the backup running back, had seven carries for 39 yards, and Deebo Samuel rushed four times and racked up a touchdown.
49ers Brock Purdy Threw a ‘DOT’ to Seal Win
But when it was winning time for the 49ers, Brock Purdy was there. San Francisco went into a second-half lull and allowed the Seahawks to get back into the game with a 10-0 third quarter. With eight minutes left in the game, though, and Seattle still holding comeback hopes, Purdy zipped a well-placed ball into an open space between five Seahawks defenders and found Brandon Aiyuk for a touchdown.
Aiyuk was asked after the game what kind of throw it was from Purdy. “That’s what you call a DOT,” he said.
Brandon Aiyuk on Brock Purdy’s TD throw:
“That’s what you call a DOT.”
As for Purdy, he was happy to be able to play on Thanksgiving—and to get a win. Possibly on the way to a Super Bowl.
“It was sweet,” the 49ers Brock Purdy said after the game. “Just growing up, you’re with your family watching the NFL games go on, you see the postgame interviews and the turkey legs and it’s just a good time watching it with your family. So, to be able to be out with my teammates after the game, and win on the road, eating some turkey legs – that was fun. It’s gonna be something to look back on and smile about and whatnot. I’m very thankful.”