In just his second NFL season, Brock Purdy has notched up two NFC Championship appearances, secured an NFC title, and is set to play in his first Super Bowl on Feb 11th. Despite a stellar performance throughout the season, the Niners’ star QB has faced considerable disrespect from both critics and NFL fans.
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An analogous scenario unfolded on ESPN’s “First Take” when NFL analyst Chris Russo ranked Brock Purdy as the fifth-best quarterback in the conference. As Russo listed his top five NFC quarterbacks, co-host Stephen A. Smith couldn’t hide his disagreement, nodding in disbelief.
Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo placed Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, Lions QB Jared Goff, and Rams QB Matthew Stafford above Brock Purdy in the NFC. The surprise came when Russo ranked Kirk Cousins above Purdy, leaving co-host Stephen A. Smith in disbelief, exclaiming, “Hell no! Cousins! Did you just say Kirk Cousins?”
Russo, unswayed, stated they could debate his top 5 and proceeded to name the other three quarterbacks before placing Purdy as his fifth choice. Stephen A. Smith, upon hearing Kirk Cousins’ name, found himself temporarily struck speechless and chose the art of silence to express his difference of opinion with Mad Dog’s unconventional rankings.
Rejecting Russo’s Take Fans Rally Behind the 49ers QB
After Chris Russo ranked Purdy as the 5th best NFC QB on First Take, NFL fans weren’t pleased. They flooded the comments section of the Instagram video with praises for Purdy, expressing their dissatisfaction with Russo’s take.
A fan stated, “At this point Purdy has to win the Super Bowl and an NbA championship to be considered good enough”. Another one stated, “Purdy has beaten almost all of those QBs lmao if Purdy was a first round pick the internet would be riding him like a horse lol.”
A football enthusiast expressed, “Purdy is two years in, two NFC Championship games, AND a Super Bowl appearance? Dak hasn’t proven he could step up in the big game, nor has Cousins.” A social media user mentioned, “Purdy better then everyone he just named”. Someone else wrote, “And he beat every single one of them. The purdy hate is unreal”
Brock Purdy and Jared Goff showcased strikingly similar stats in the 2023 regular season, both surpassing 4000 passing yards and throwing 30 or more touchdown passes. Their stellar performances led their teams to the NFC Championship games, with Purdy ultimately emerging victorious. On the flip side, Jalen Hurts and Matthew Stafford fell short, recording less than 4000 yards and fewer than 25 touchdowns.
Kirk Cousins, only playing eight games due to a season-ending Achilles injury, wrapped up with a 4-4 record, showing promise with 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns. However, it remains uncertain how he would have fared in the intense second half of the season. Recognizing the talent of all quarterbacks, it’s worth noting that Purdy holds the best QB winning record and an impressive 69.4% pass completion among the five in the regular season.
Despite facing criticism suggesting his success stems from having a talented team, Brock Purdy consistently proves doubters wrong with each game. His teammates and loyal 49ers fans recognize him as their true leader, offering unwavering support irrespective of the outcome in the upcoming Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
