Brock Purdy is ruling hearts with his near-top placement in most categories with his explosive display this season. This has caused most of the NFL world to praise him for his astoundingly successful second year in the league. In fact, even legendary WR Jerry Rice seems to be a die-hard fan of Mr. Irrelevant, as he recently expressed his thoughts on Purdy, comparing him to one of the finest QBs of all time on the Warner House podcast.
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Before diving into the details of what impresses him the most in the top MVP prospect, Rice clarified that Brock reminds him of legend Joe Montana. He went on to appreciate Brock’s cool-headedness and the other relevant traits that make him a perfect quarterback like Joe was.
“Brock reminds me a lot of Montana, his coolness. He doesn’t get rattled. You need your quarterback to be that way. What he’s doing- the leadership, his composure, watching him when he first took over the velocity behind his throws, a tight spiral, you know, catchable ball, you know, like that. You know, I love it man and his decision making, he doesn’t hold on to the ball that long.”
Joe Montana’s USP was keeping his cool under extreme pressure. Popularly known as ‘Joe Cool’, the QB never allowed the anxiety of the big stage to weigh him down. Hence, he ended his career with 4 Super Bowls in his kitty. Moreover, Montana become famous for embracing the ‘I’ factor while being a team player. Brock has exhibited similar qualities in his brief yet supremely impressive run thus far.
Purdy won all 5 regular season games that he started last season by executing big plays under pressure. Moreover, proving that he isn’t a one-season-wonder, Brock has played a pivotal role in guiding his unit to a fantastic 11-3 record this season as well. These factors do force the admirers of the game to take Jerry Rice’s ‘Purdy-Montana’ comparison seriously.
Jerry Rice Equating Brock Purdy to Joe Montana is a Big Deal for 49ers Admirers
Jerry Rice, the legendary wide receiver who achieved a lot for the San Francisco 49ers, had the opportunity of playing alongside Joe Montana, before the QB transitioned to the Chiefs in 1993. Rice had 386 catches for 6,710 yards and a total of 67 touchdowns within 77 games, alongside Joe Montana. He also led the NFL in TDs with Steve Young as the 49ers starter.
Needless to say, Jerry knows a thing or two about Joe and the tactics he used. Hence, Jerry expressing that Brock reminds him of Montana is a huge deal for the 49ers fans who have been in search of a settled offense for quite some time. Moreover, Jerry’s take on Brock makes even more sense when we look at Brock’s numbers this season.
Mr. Irrelevant has hit the top place in the QBR, yards per attempt (9.9) and TD to interception ratio (29-7). He is only second in the completion rate with 69% and passing yards, with 14 games in the season. While there is a long way to go for Brock to match the credentials of 4x Super Bowl champion Montana, Jerry’s words will definitely fuel his desire to lift the Lombardi multiple times in the future.
