San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy faced some inconsistency on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, when his team needed him most, the third-year player came through, leading a game-winning drive where he completed four of five passes for 39 yards. This set up struggling kicker Jake Moody for a redeeming 44-yard attempt that lifted the 49ers to a hard-fought 23-20 road victory.
Purdy finished the game 25-of-36 for 353 yards and two touchdowns. He's currently on pace to throw for over 4,600 yards this season, which would shatter the single-season franchise record he set last season.
Josh Kendall of The Athletic believes Purdy's performance this season has quieted the persistent debate about his talent, dismissing the narrative that he's simply a product of the 49ers' system and benefits mainly from the talent around him.
"It feels like Brock Purdy has reached an important milestone this season," Kendall wrote. "There's no longer a daily debate about whether he's a great quarterback or merely the product of his environment. He's just playing mostly good football. Purdy is sixth in EPA per dropback (.18) and second in air yards per attempt (9.1). Since he was drafted in 2022, he leads the NFL in passer rating (106.9)."
Purdy has been far from perfect, throwing seven interceptions this season alongside 12 touchdowns, though none have come in the last two games. His 13.6 yards per completion lead the NFL, while his 82.0 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus ranks eighth in the league and fourth among NFC quarterbacks. He also ranks second only to Lamar Jackson in yards per attempt, with 8.8 to Jackson's 9.3.
Before Sunday's game, Purdy played without his best offensive playmaker, Christian McCaffrey, who just returned from injury, and he'll be without his top receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL and MCL.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that Purdy's strong finish on Sunday said more about him than his early struggles.
"He did miss a few throws in the first half, just being a little bit off, and it cost us on a couple ones," Shanahan said after the game. "But the way he came back in the second half was huge."
Purdy acknowledged his slow start, adding, "Definitely felt out of rhythm to start the game. Not really sure what it was, but I know (in the) second half, I just told myself, 'All right, dude, just go out and compete and rip it. Don't hesitate.' And I thought second half, we all did that. The guys were open. I didn't hold back."
Purdy's 15-of-20 performance in the second half helped secure the 49ers' fifth win of the season.
With his continued progression, the 49ers face a major decision after the season: how much to pay their starting quarterback. Purdy could command a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history, potentially resetting the market depending on how the remainder of the season unfolds.