Brock Purdy still is subject to the “game manager” label, even after having a tremendous 2023 regular season that earned him a 2024 NFL Pro Bowl nod.
But ahead of San Francisco’s Super Bowl LVIII meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas, an opposing coach came to the defense of the Iowa State product.
When talking to reporters on Friday, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo silenced Purdy's critics with a straightforward response.
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“All they've got to do is put the tape on, in my opinion,” Spagnuolo told reporters. “We had some crossover film during the course of the year, but when you dive into it, and you watch him, [Purdy] is not a quarterback that is ‘managing’ or all of those tabs that they put on him. He’s for real. [He] makes all the throws. [He’s] really, really smart.”
Chances are, Spagnuolo knows more than the average Purdy naysayer.
Regardless, the 64-year-old coach shined a positive light on the second-year quarterback at arguably the most competitive of times between the two.
San Francisco 49ers
In addition to acknowledging Purdy’s non-game-managing abilities, the Chiefs coach praised the 24-year-old for his awareness and intelligence, also noting the 49ers offense’s overall talents.
“[Purdy’s] really, really smart,” Spagnuolo said. “And then what I didn’t know, because I [wasn’t] seeing enough of it, is how athletic he is. This is another quarterback that when you cover everything back there, and he finds a lane, [he] can take off. He did it last week [and] he’s done it in every playoff game and gets positive yards. That puts a lot of strain on us defensively. Thoroughly, thoroughly impressed with him.
“Listen, it’s scary to watch all the weapons they have. [Christian McCaffrey] is just one piece of it, a big piece of it. He’s explosive [and a] real smart football player, but he’s not the only one. They’re all over the place on this particular unit.”
Spagnuolo has never coached against Purdy in the NFL, as the last time the 49ers and Chiefs met was Week 7 of the 2022 regular season -- back when Jimmy Garoppolo was still San Francisco’s starting quarterback.
However, the Chiefs coach has coached against McCaffrey, limiting the veteran running back to eight rushes for 38 yards two regular seasons ago.
As the Feb. 11 meeting at Allegiant Stadium inches closer, the hot takes and outlandish comments continue to grow louder.
However, good sportsmanship still exists, as Spagnuolo silenced Purdy’s critics while respecting San Francisco, as he likely is studying 49ers tape like no other.