In just four days, one of the biggest sporting spectacles, Super Bowl LVIII, is upon us. This edition of the NFL’s magnum opus is set to take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Niners [14-5] led by Brock Purdy have been a success story of efficiency and system management, the star-studded Chiefs, on the other hand, have been ruthlessly dominant [14-6]. The match promises to be a clash of titans, but what excites fans most is the clash of the different styles of play that these teams bring to the field.
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With the Super Bowl fever running wild all over the sports world, the media has been breathing football all day long amidst the buildup. Staying true to the coverage, “The Rich Eisen Show” invited Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield to share his thoughts on the main narratives around the finals.
The talented playmaker was first asked about his predictions for the finals. In reply, the 2017 Heisman winner started hyping up both teams by narrating their strengths. He felt that the Chiefs were a team with personality and composure, which is why they have been dominating season after season. The Buccaneers QB also jokingly remarked that he and Purdy are ‘short-little’ quarterbacks (6’1″), and playfully said that they should stick together in support.
On the other hand, Mayfield believed that the 49ers must have earmarked this game as their chance to inflict revenge on their 2020 Super Bowl loss against the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs. In the end, the QB, like the NFL world, found it confusing to pick a winner and believed both teams had equal chances.
“Good matchup. Really good matchup. Obviously the Chiefs, they don’t screw it up. That’s why they get to this point. They find ways to win and play with each other,” Mayfield said. “They make plays when needed. But San Fran I think, some of those pieces that were there when they played a couple of years ago when they played the Super Bowl. I think they have had this one marked for a while as the revenge game. I don’t know, I think San Fran can pull it out but you can never count out the Chiefs.”
Another key talking point to note in this match would be Brock Purdy’s performance. After leading his side to the NFC Championship in his debut season, Purdy has evolved into an even more efficient cog for Shanahan.
However, his systematic efficiency has resulted in many giving him the “game manager” tag — who executes the Coach’s orders rather than being a difference-maker on his own like his counterparts. Being a QB, Mayfield was asked this question and the Tampa Bay man responded in support of Purdy. Mayfield reminded people that the NFL is a high-level sport and executing plays at this level consistently is mindboggling. Purdy should be proud of it, felt Mayfield.
What Does Brock Purdy Feel About The “Game Manager” Tag?
2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton first made headlines last year when he labeled Brock Purdy and a few other starting QBs as “Game Managers”. While Newton wasn’t the first to make this claim about Purdy, his terminology spread the narrative against the Niners QB like wildfire. Since then, despite all the on-field success, Purdy has constantly been called a game manager, discrediting his achievements.
In his recent Super Bowl LVIII media appearance, reporters asked Brock about all the noise surrounding his play style. In response, the star QB stated that he wasn’t worried and took it as a compliment because, in the end, everyone was complaining about how well he ran the system. He reiterated that managing games at the highest level is a tough job. So it doesn’t matter to him if he is not flashy while doing it as long as he wins.
“I feel like it can be a compliment at times, where it’s like, ‘All right, you’ve got a guy that can come in and run the system well,” Purdy expressed. “I feel like that’s a compliment and I think you’re doing things right, mentally, and obviously, you’re good enough to be able to hit guys that are open and make plays. It’s a hard job. So if you’re saying that I’m a game manager and I don’t look flashy in how I do it, I mean, that’s your opinion, and that’s okay.”
All said and done, Purdy brings results. Fans can all go night debating about flashiness, but winning is the only thing that matters in sports. The 49ers QB has been incredibly consistent this season, and it’s unlikely for him to falter in the last match of the season. With an already-loaded roster alongside him, it wouldn’t be surprising for Purdy to pull off an encore of his performances this in the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LVIII is truly looking out to be a spectacle!
