Quarterback Brock Purdy has broken franchise and league records left and right in his seven appearances for the San Francisco 49ers. He's now the only rookie quarterback in the team's history to start and win a postseason game, and in the larger scope of the NFL, he's tied with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert for the longest streak (seven games) of throwing two-or-more passing touchdowns in a game by a first-year QB. Purdy also leads the NFL in wins (six) and passing touchdowns (14) since becoming San Francisco's starter in Week 14 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
For these reasons, and several other impressive statistics, the 49ers seventh-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft is no longer being looked at as your typical first-year player, at least not by the Dallas Cowboys.
"He's played at a very high level. They do a very great job at their versatility week in and week out, how they stretch particularly in the switch and motions, landmarks, the speed of it," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon. "He manages that very well. He's not a rookie anymore in our eyes."
It would be easy to get caught up in the hype of a league-best 11-game win streak and a postseason run, but through it all, the 49ers 23-year-old quarterback has remained even-keeled.
"I don't try to make it more than it is. I'm a faith-based guy, so that's how I stay grounded," Purdy said. "It's a game, and it's my job for sure, and I take it very seriously, but at the end of the day, I know I'm not defined by the wins or losses... At the same time, I'm a competitor. I love to compete. I want to win at all costs, so I have been enjoying that as well."
Purdy's performance against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round wasn't technically his highest statistical game to date, however, his mobility and ability to make off-schedule plays were certainly highlighted in two of his four touchdowns. He was flushed out of the pocket before hitting Christian McCaffrey for a three-yard touchdown in the first quarter and avoided pressure again to connect with Elijah Mitchell on a short pass for a seven-yard score.
"The three things that jumped out to me watching him, also getting a chance to watch him live lately, are his instincts, his awareness and his confidence," McCarthy added. "You don't see a young player making panic decisions."
If San Francisco and their QB1 can continue their postseason tear, Purdy would become one of five rookie quarterbacks in NFL history to start in a conference championship.
