Brock Purdy exceeded all expectations this year, as in his second season as a starter, he led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl. However, despite entering the game as favorites, the Bay Area side fell short, once again reigniting the Game Manager claims. On the other hand, one of his prominent critics, Cam Newton, also the first to label Purdy a ‘Game Manager’, feels that Mr. Irrelevant did enough to win the game but was let down by his coaches.
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To add context, back when Purdy was in the MVP conversation, Newton had labeled him a game manager and considered him a product of Shanahan’s brilliant offensive schemes. Despite facing criticism from fans and Purdy’s teammates, the former NFL MVP has not backed down from his comments. He has only doubled down by asserting that the 49ers shot-caller is the 10th-best player in the 49ers squad.
Nonetheless, during a recent episode of his 4th&1 Podcast, Cam was asked to express his opinion of the notion that Purdy, as the game manager, could only muster a field goal on the final OT drive, whereas the game changer — Patrick Mahomes — tallied a touchdown.
The former Panthers QB asserted that Purdy didn’t deliver a bad performance in the Big Game. Instead, he placed the blame on the 49ers coaching staff for choosing to take the ball first in the OT despite winning the toss. Cam feels that the team wasn’t actively trying to score a touchdown but rather aiming for the points, which he believes is not the Quarterback’s fault. He said,
“Brock Purdy did not have a bad game,” followed by, “49ers, they were just trying to get points and that is not Brock Purdy’s fault. That’s bad coaching.”
This reaction has since sent a shockwave throughout the NFL world. So, let’s dive into how it all began. A few weeks back, Newton created an uproar in the NFL world when he called out Purdy and labeled him as a mere ‘game manager’ in a league full of ‘game changers’, even asserting that Purdy failed to make any significant difference for the Niners.
When confronted and berated for expressing his candid opinions, he asserted that not everyone has to be a game changer. You just have to make sure that you make the necessary plays and don’t throw the picks, the Des Moines Register reports.
Cam received harsh criticism from not only the NFL world but also from other known sports figures. While Purdy refused to respond to these comments, his teammates defended him. Notably, Fred Warner, after Purdy’s game-winning drive against the Lions, made a sarcastic remark and said, “Heck of a game manager, wow. Managed the heck out of that game.”
Even star defensive back for the Niners, Deommodore Lenoir remarked, “If you look at his stats and look at what he did this season, how is he a game manager? What he has been doing this season, it works, he’s winning. Him being a game manager, I mean Tom Brady was a game manager, I guess.” Even NBA star Draymond Green chimed in and called the “game manager” comments ‘Slander’.
Reactions to Cam Newton’s Recent Brock Purdy Comments
Fans praised Cam for giving his honest opinions and generally agreed with his take. While one voice remarked how Cam is really good as a podcaster and doesn’t say anything malicious, others were quick to throw shades at the head coach, Kyle Shanahan. Take a look:
Another chimed in and stated,
Fan wrote,
Someone quipped,
Brock Purdy has consistently proven doubters wrong since taking over the starting role in 2022. Despite delivering a solid performance, he will continue to face criticism, much like every other great quarterback in the league.
However, once the dust settles, they will retrospectively review game films to identify where things went wrong. There is much work to be done in the offseason, especially with many players approaching the end of their contracts. The primary focus will be on keeping the core intact, as maintaining a stable roster is crucial for making consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
