Drew Brees breaks silence on media’s Brock Purdy comparison ahead of Super Bowl
Brock Purdy has had an incredible path to being an NFL superstar in just two years. He has gone from being the last pick in the entire NFL Draft to being one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He was recently named a finalist for the NFL MVP award and is currently preparing to appear in his first Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.
During the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy nearly went undrafted before the 49ers took a chance on him with the final pick. Every other team passed on him for several reasons, including his lack of athleticism, weak arm, and little college football experience, as compared to most of the other quarterback prospects in his draft class.
Brock Purdy's build and skillset have made him an underdog who has overcome the odds to performas one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This has recently caused many around the league to compare him to a retired legend Drew Brees, who possessed similar qualities. Brees was recently asked by Colin Cowherd about the direct comparison during an episode of The Herd.
Brees responded:
"I see a lot of comparisons, but honestly, the thing that I love about him the most is the fact that he was a guy who went to Iowa State and was not highly recruited. He started 47 games in college, right? And similar to Purdue most of the time, when we were stepping on the field during our college days, we were the underdog, right?"
"I think to his benefit, he gets drafted to a place hwer he can forget where he got drafted. He gets drafted to a place like the San Francisco 49ers, where he's got an unbelievable offensive mind in Kyle Shanahan, a team that's been architected by John Lynch to have long-term success."
Brees added:
"But it takes a guy who can help orchestrate and manage all of that… He obviously is a very timing, rhythm thrower, which is what I was. But I think he showed us all what kind of an athlete he was last week by taking off and running, going outside the system, and winning that game last week."
Drew Brees was often referred to as a "game manager" during his NFL career, just like Brock Purdy is now. While some believe this to be a negative title, it didn't stop Brees from having one of the most productive careers in NFL history. He owned many of the all-time passing records when he retired from the New Orleans Saints but was later surpassed by Tom Brady.
In addition to his massive regular season success, Brees also won a Super Bowl ring and is likely on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That's not so bad for an alleged "game manager." If that's what Brock Purdy is, there is nothing negative about that.
Brock Purdy's odds to win 2023 NFL MVP
Brock Purdy already has an opportunity to match Drew Brees' career total in Super Bowl wins. Brees won just one with the Saints and Purdy would be hoping to get his first ring this year. The 24-year-old also has a chance to surpass him in total NFL MVP awards. It's almost unbelievable that Brees never won an MVP during his legendary career, considering he set the all-time records for passing yards and touchdowns.
Purdy was recently named a finalist for the NFL MVP award for the 2023 season, which will be handed out during the NFL Honors show on February 8. His current betting odds of (+2500) imply that he is the third favorite to win it. Lamar Jackson (-10000) is currently a massive frontrunner, while Dak Prescott (+1600) is the second favorite.