Brock Purdy continues to have the NFL’s most prominent names come to his defense just before the 49ers dance with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday in Las Vegas.
The latest to fall in line? Soon-to-be Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees.
If anyone knows how to play under center, it’s Brees, and the retired 20-year NFL veteran explained to CBS Sports’ Jim Rome on Thursday why Purdy can bring San Francisco its sixth Super Bowl victory.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“I think [Purdy’s] a guy that plays with poise, maturity and knowledge that’s beyond his years,” Brees told Rome. “Look no further than the way his teammates talk about him. His teammates love him. Yes, he’s got great players around him, and he’s the perfect orchestrator for that entire offense. It’s a lot of responsibility, especially [in] that offense -- shifts, motions, timing, rhythm, what you have to create as a quarterback -- a ton of responsibility falls on him.
"And he’s ready to make whatever plays he needs to make to help them win the game. He proved it [against the Detroit Lions] and we’ll see what happens on Sunday.”
San Francisco 49ers
He acknowledges the way Purdy’s teammates speak about him, also listing the facets of coach Kyle Shanahan’s elite 49ers offense the quarterback is responsible for.
The longtime New Orleans Saints signal-caller also mentioned Purdy’s performance against the Lions in the 2024 NFC Championship Game, citing the Iowa State’s product wheels as a game-changing factor that can swing Sunday’s outcome.
“The perfect example of that, look what happened in the NFC Championship [Game]," Brees said. "[San Francisco] won that game because of Brock Purdy’s legs. He took off on three different occasions to extend drives, convert third downs, break the game wide open [and] to get them points to stage that comeback.
“A lot of people talk about if Purdy is a ‘system quarterback,' ” Brees said. “Well guess what, he went outside the system, he did what nobody thought he would do in those moments. And with his legs, he was basically able to win that game for them.”
San Francisco doesn’t defeat Detroit without Purdy extending plays on the ground. Furthermore, his ability to run the football adds pressure to the Chiefs’ defense, as its hands will be full considering San Francisco’s numerous Pro Bowl talents.
While many critics remain insistent in labeling Purdy a “game manager,” Brees recognizes that Purdy instead is the “perfect orchestrator” the 49ers need.