$265M Worth Brock Purdy Makes His Feelings Clear About Being Labeled as a ‘System Quarterback’

Brock Purdy finds the whole 'system quarterback' theory funny.

$265M Worth Brock Purdy Makes His Feelings Clear About Being Labeled as a ‘System Quarterback’

Brock Purdy (Image via IMAGO)

After three years of pro football, Brock Purdy has achieved remarkable success. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant signed a mouthwatering $265 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers. However, there are still doubts about his mechanics as a franchise quarterback.

Fans and analysts overlook athletes selected in the final rounds of the draft. Most didn’t bat an eye at Purdy being the last pick in 2022 until he started games for the San Francisco 49ers.

He led the NFC West team to consecutive NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance after just a handful of appearances. However, he was still the last draft pick, and people didn’t hold him in high regard, especially for his quarterback play.

Most of the credit went to head coach Kyle Shanahan, who boasted a history of amplifying a quarterback’s talents. Previously, Shanahan orchestrated a Super Bowl run with Jimmy Garoppolo, a quarterback mostly considered a draft bust.

It was an injury to Garoppolo that paved the way for Purdy to take over as the 49ers’ quarterback. However, the Iowa State alumni grasped the chance with both fists. His performance even kept the Niners’ first-round pick, Trey Lance.

Even though Purdy proved himself time and again, a section of football fans deemed him a product of Shanahan’s system—a system quarterback. Purdy didn’t take that to heart; instead, the entire argument seems comical to him.

The whole system quarterback thing, like early, you know, in my career, that was funny… I took that as all right, like I’m a guy that can come in and like do what the coach says and win games because of that. So to me, that was more of a compliment, and I’ve sort of ran with that.

Brock Purdy said on 95.7 The Game

Analyst dismissed ‘Brock Purdy is a system quarterback’ theory

Veteran analyst Greg Cosell defended Purdy from the ‘system quarterback’ stigma he has had to bear despite his achievements. Cosell argued that it’s natural for fans to side with the system if multiple quarterbacks thrive in it.

$265M Worth Brock Purdy Makes His Feelings Clear About Being Labeled as a 'System Quarterback'
Brock Purdy, while playing against the Dallas Cowboys (Image via IMAGO)

However, they don’t recognize the immense effort the quarterback must exert for the system to function. If he misses the mark by a millimeter, he will face the fury before anyone else.

When people see a quarterback execute at a high level, which [Brock] Purdy has done for most of his three years and that’s fact, you cannot argue with that they assume that it’s the system that allows the quarterback to play at a higher level.

Greg Cosell said while appearing on the Ross Tucker podcast

People underestimate late-round picks, even after they show potential to be special. Tom Brady and Tyreek Hill are great examples of how tenacious athletes create big impacts despite their late-round credentials.

Purdy showed that he can still zip the ball with lesser players around him. The 49ers missed Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams for a chunk of the 2024-25 season. Not only that, Deebo Samuel’s form took a nosedive, leaving Purdy to fend for himself.

The 25-year-old only managed six wins from 15 appearances. He completed 3864 yards from 455 attempts, threw 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with five touchdowns on the ground. These may not sound great on paper, but statistics tell a different story.

According to Pro Football Focus, Brock Purdy completed 15 big-time throws, was 10th in passing yards, and had an ADP of 93.1 (9th best in the league). He drastically improved his rushing plays—12th in executions of scramble yards and designed runs—while scoring the fifth most rushing touchdowns.

However, a few underlying factors defined Purdy’s lackluster season. He had 17 turnover-worthy plays, and his average ball release time increased to 2.99 seconds.

Purdy needs to back up his status as a top quarterback in the new campaign. The 49ers’ belief in the Iowa State graduate earned him a five-year extension worth $265 million.

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