Joe Montana famously earned the nickname "Joe Cool" for his ability to thrive in high-pressure situations, an intangible trait that 49ers legend Jerry Rice sees in the team's current starting quarterback, Brock Purdy.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer joined 49ers linebacker Fred Warner on the " The Warner House" podcast, where he shared the comparison between the legendary Montana and Purdy.
"Brock [Purdy] reminds me a lot of [Joe] Montana, his coolness. He doesn't get rattled," Rice told Warner. "You need your quarterback to be that way."
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Incredibly high praise for Purdy from Rice, who recorded 447 catches for 7,679 yards and scored 79 touchdowns in 88 career games with Montana as his quarterback.
While Purdy has a long way to go in terms of catching up to Montana's decorated resume, the 23-year-old has established himself as one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league in just his second season.
Purdy currently leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (29), yards per attempt (9.9), passer rating (119.0) and QBR (76.0). The young signal-caller has shredded opposing defenses since the 49ers' bye week, logging 17 touchdowns and two interceptions in six games over that span.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco's offense has been humming as of late following an October lull that saw the 49ers held to 17 points in three consecutive games during a losing skid. Since their Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the 49ers have won every game they've played by double digits while averaging 35.4 points per game in that time.
The incredible efficiency with which the 49ers' offense is operating ties directly to their quarterback's poise and coolness mentioned by Rice. With San Francisco looking like the favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVIII, Purdy now has a chance to etch his own story in 49ers history, just as Montana did over 40 years ago.