Brock Purdy put forth an MVP-caliber season for the San Francisco 49ers this season, but apparently, Tom Brady was the team’s first choice at quarterback.
Purdy himself says so.
“I remember him [head coach Kyle Shanahan] saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we’re going to try to get him. And I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s the GOAT. I get it,'” Purdy said, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. “But something deep down inside me was sort of like, ‘Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system. And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.’ … More than anything, I was like, ‘OK, now let’s go.'”
Brady considered playing for the 49ers back when he was a free agent in March 2020, but San Francisco passed, and the future Hall-of-Famer ultimately signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion ultimately retired after last season, but it was still clear that he had something left in the tank, as he threw for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
At the time, Purdy was unproven. He had only made five regular-season starts in 2022, and he started one playoff game. So, as well as he played during that span, you can understand why the Niners may have been a bit hesitant to hand him the starting job heading into 2023.
It also may have lit a fire under Purdy, as he totaled 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 picks while completing 69.4 percent of his passes and posting an NFL-best 113 passer rating this season.
Not only that, but Purdy led the 49ers to a 12-5 record and a first-round bye. He then went on to guide the team to a Divisional Round playoff win over the Green Bay Packers.
Now, Purdy will attempt to vault San Francisco into the Super Bowl when the Niners take on the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday.
The 49ers may not have gotten Tom Brady, but they seem to have their franchise quarterback in Brock Purdy.
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