One of the biggest talking points heading into Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the 49ers concerns quarterback Brock Purdy.
Much has been made of the young 49ers signal-caller’s playmaking ability or lack thereof, with a wide array of media personalities offering their praise or criticism.
Speaking to NBC Bay Area’s Laura Britt in Radio Row in Las Vegas, NBC Sports' fantasy football analyst Matthew Berry weighed in on Purdy and explained why this Super Bowl is a legacy game for the second-year quarterback.
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“And I've said this elsewhere, I think this is a legacy game for Brock Purdy and I don't think it is one for Patrick Mahomes," Berry told Britt. "Here's why: I think if Patrick Mahomes goes out and literally goes 0 for 20 with three picks, doesn't matter, he’s still Patrick Mahomes, he still won multiple Super Bowls.
“Patrick Mahomes, regardless of what happens from this point forward in his career, Patrick Mahomes is still going to go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play at the NFL.”
Considering Mahomes has won two Super Bowls and will be appearing in his fourth, he is already in elite company as an NFL quarterback. Berry went on to explain that Purdy is not yet at that level, but winning the game would go a long way toward that.
“But Brock Purdy is a guy that at one point this season was a leading candidate to be the MVP," Berry said. "He was the betting favorite and then he imploded against the Ravens. He had a bad game and it's been up and down in the playoffs. And so now he has a moment where he gets to go head-to-head with Patrick Mahomes.
San Francisco 49ers
“And so, if he goes head-to-head and beats Patrick Mahomes, and he's a reason why he throws a great touchdown pass, he does a couple of plays like he did against the Lions where he extends plays. And I think that if he does something like that in the Super Bowl and wins, I think all questions will be answered.”
Berry is not wrong in that this Super Bowl would be a bigger win for Purdy, who is in his second NFL season and plays for a franchise with a history of legendary quarterback play, than it would be for Mahomes.
Since taking over the starting role last season, Purdy has been remarkably consistent for the 49ers in leading them to the playoffs in both years. However, Purdy has his fair share of detractors who claim he is only good due to playing in such a talented offense with Kyle Shanahan’s creative play-calling covering for his lackluster ability.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are not among the detractors though, as they recognize how well Purdy has been performing in high-pressure situations in the playoffs in leading the 49ers back to the Super Bowl.
Purdy will look to lead the 49ers to their sixth Super Bowl title on Sunday under the bright lights of Sin City.