49ers HC Kyle Shanahan shuts down Brock Purdy's critics ahead of Super Bowl 58 vs Chiefs: "It is comical"
Even if the San Francisco 49ers will compete in Super Bowl 58, critics continue to question Brock Purdy’s ability to lead his squad to victory. Their main argument is that the Niners’ collection of talent around the second-year quarterback makes it easier for him to win.
It’s a claim that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan refuted in his recent conversation with NBC Sports’ Peter King. The esteemed columnist published Shanahan’s statements in the February 5 edition of Football Morning in America.
San Francisco’s head coach since 2017 shared while driving with King through Mountain View in Santa Clara County:
“Then I hear what people say. People down on him [Brock Purdy]. It is comical. Playing quarterback is how you play quarterback. What if Joe Montana was in there? Joe’s not gonna run around like Lamar [Jackson] and Patrick [Mahomes]. But he’s Joe Montana!
“I’m not trying to compare him and Brock. But you know, this is a big sport, with huge media. People have to realize in our profession about how the world works, too.”
With Brock Purdy at the helm, the 49ers have reached two consecutive NFC Championship Games. They lost last year’s version after he suffered an elbow injury. A season later, he can add the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy against the team that defeated them in Super Bowl 54.
While Purdy was the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, it doesn’t diminish his ability to make the right decisions on the fly. Shanahan added in his conversation with King:
“I mean, I’m getting my call ready for like second-and-20 because there’s no play there. Guy just makes plays when they’re not there. He does it more than any quarterback I’ve had. And he also is an assassin when it comes to what we’re trying to do.”
Pitting Patrick Mahomes’ stats vs. Brock Purdy’s numbers this season
That approval from Shanahan means that Brock Purdy’s 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions weren’t accidental. Instead, he had the talent and wisdom to become an NFL quarterback, even if he was the last name called in the draft.
Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes’ regular-season stats are not far behind Purdy’s. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player recorded 4,183 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. In the postseason, Mahomes has 70 completions for 718 yards, four touchdowns, and no picks. He also has 14 carries for 75 rushing yards.
Conversely, Purdy played one playoff game less than Mahomes. However, he has 43 completions for 519 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick, as well as 11 carries for 62 rushing yards.