Ever since taking over as the 49ers' starting quarterback midway through last season, Brock Purdy has had his fair share of detractors, but also plenty of supporters from across the NFL media landscape.
On a recent episode of the "Rich Eisen Show," NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger came to the young signal-caller’s defense.
“I don’t understand any of the criticism, I really don’t," Baldinger told Eisen. "I think the guy’s just a silent assassin, he’s so relaxed and he so confident yet he doesn’t really relish any of the spotlight.
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“This guy sees the field as good as anybody in this whole business. His runs, he was channeling Steve Young the other day. I don’t think we knew he could do that, on that stage, against that [Detroit Lions] defense, with the speed that they have. His movement is just elite. And probably the best part about him is he plays with no fear.
“Yeah, he threw an interception in the first quarter, it stopped a drive that they had going. It never sits in his mind that he’s going to play with [more] fear than that. So, I think he’s the perfect quarterback for Kyle [Shanahan] right now in that he can program him, he can coach him hard, if he [Purdy] makes a mistake, he can get on him like he does during the week in practice, yet he [Purdy] can take all of that and still go play without any sort of fear about making a mistake.”
Baldinger has been around the NFL for over 40 years as both a player and analyst, so his praise of Purdy’s play carries weight.
San Francisco 49ers
Purdy’s ascent from Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to leading the 49ers to back-to-back NFC Championship Game appearances and now a Super Bowl berth has been one of the most exciting stories in the league in recent memory.
While Purdy had his struggles in the NFC title game against the Detroit Lions, he was able to settle down in the second half to lead the 49ers back from a 17-point halftime deficit, making plays not only with his arm but his legs as well.
The fervor around Purdy only will increase in the coming weeks as he prepares to take on Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, who is regarded by many as the NFL's best quarterback, in Super Bowl LVIII.
Purdy and the 49ers will look to avenge their previous Super Bowl LIV loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs, and win their first championship since 1995.