"That's pretty ridiculous," head coach Shanahan said this week when asked to respond to those pundits. "You just got to watch the tape. I mean, he plays at a high level every time he's been out there. And he's done it in a lot of different situations versus a lot of different defenses, on the road, at home, in playoff games, when injured.
"You can't do all that stuff [if you're a system quarterback]. He's been out there too long. It's on tape."
Purdy's recent performance against the Arizona Cardinals was nothing short of spectacular. He completed 20 of 21 pass attempts for 283 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, setting a new franchise record for the highest completion percentage (95.2) in a single game. Purdy is poised to become the first 49ers quarterback to pass for over 4,000 yards in a single season since Jeff Garcia did so in 2000.
General manager John Lynch took the opportunity on Friday morning to address Purdy's critics.
"Brock Purdy has shown himself to be a really good quarterback, and he's shown it every week," Lynch said on KNBR's "Murph and Mac" show. "I mean, it's been very consistent. And I don't even think we need to defend that because you look at the numbers, you talk to people who know football, he's for real. We've got a ton of belief in him. We're better with him. And you see it every day.
"It's not like just a flash-in-the-pan thing. It's consistency. He's a machine, and I think he's continuing to get better, and that's an exciting thing for us. He handles everything so well. What a godsend he was to this organization. And just his approach, the way he goes about things, trying to get a little bit better each day, the preparation he does, it's hard to hang with our head coach and our offensive system."
Purdy, the last overall pick in the 2022 draft, has completed 81 of 112 attempts (72.3 percent) for 1,019 yards with five touchdowns through his four starts this season. He has also added 24 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 12 carries.
Thanks partly to the quarterback's efficient play, the 49ers remain one of only two undefeated teams in the NFL (alongside the Eagles).
"He just throws it to the right place," Lynch continued. "And I think that's why all our weapons—first of all, it helps when you're having success—they're not complaining because they know the ball is going where it's supposed to go. He's not playing favorites. We're not trying to dial up. We're saying, 'Okay, here's the play. Take it where the coverage dictates.'
"And Brock, 99 times out of 100, is going to take it the right place. And he's doing a tremendous job of that, so I can't say enough about him. And as for the pundits, the haters, let them keep hating. We'll keep rolling with him."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
John Lynch: 49ers remain confident in Brock Purdy, aim for strong finish
There has been widespread discussion surrounding Brock Purdy as the San Francisco 49ers gear up to begin contract extension negotiations with their 24-year-old quarterback. Purdy's 2024 campaign hasn't matched the record-breaking numbers he posted last year when he set a... -
49ers GM John Lynch breaks silence on sideline exchange with De'Vondre Campbell
San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell left for the locker room during the third quarter of last week's game against the Los Angeles Rams after refusing to enter the game. Reportedly upset over losing his starting role to Dre Greenlaw, who had just returned from... -
John Lynch on 49ers' Dre Greenlaw: "We're interested in keeping him here for a long time"
General manager John Lynch recognizes Dre Greenlaw's significant impact on the San Francisco 49ers defense. Despite the disappointing outcome, the linebacker provided a noticeable boost to the unit last week against the Los Angeles Rams. It marked Greenlaw's first game in 10... -
How PFF graded Deebo Samuel, Brock Purdy, other 49ers players vs. Dolphins, plus snap counts
The San Francisco 49ers dropped their record to 6-9 after a 29-17 loss against the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. Today, Pro Football Focus released its grades and snap counts from the game. Which Niners stood out, and who has more work to do? Below are Pro Football Focus' five...