Brock Purdy. Now if you’re a football fan, even a casual one, you may have heard the name Brock Purdy at least once in your life. He has one of the most unexpected and exciting stories in recent NFL history. I mean, it’s crazy to think about where this guy was just a couple of years ago and how he’s now leading one of the most iconic franchises in football, the San Francisco 49ers. If you were to go back and tell anyone this was going to happen, they’d probably laugh at you, thinking you were talking about some Madden video game simulation. But here we are in 2024, approaching 2025, and Brock Purdy is the real deal.

Let’s start at the beginning of Brock’s football career, which wasn’t exactly the start of dreams to say the least. Brock Purdy wasn’t some five-star, can’t-miss prospect out of high school. Nope, he didn’t have a line of top-ranked colleges knocking on his door. Purdy played his high school ball at Perry High School in Arizona. His senior year was solid, but he didn’t have the type of offers that would make you he would be a future NFL all-star

He ended up committing to Iowa State, a program not exactly known for producing NFL quarterbacks. At Iowa State, though, Purdy quietly started turning heads. He became a four-year starter, and during that time, he built a reputation for being a tough, gritty, and smart quarterback who could extend plays and lead his team to victory. Now, Iowa State is one of those powerhouse programs, but Purdy managed to hold his own in the Big 12, making a name for himself in big games and showing that he could lead an average team to massive heights.

Fast forward to the 2022 NFL Draft. Purdy had a decent college career, but he wasn’t exactly on any of the scout’s radar as a top draft pick. In fact, Purdy ended up being picked dead last in the draft, 262nd overall, earning the title “Mr. Irrelevant.”

Now, if you don’t follow the NFL closely, that’s a nickname given to the last player taken in the draft, and it’s kind of like a light-hearted joke because, let’s be real, most guys drafted at that spot don’t stick around in the league for too long.

But here’s the thing, that “Mr. Irrelevant” name is pretty misleading when it comes to Brock Purdy. The dude just didn’t let it bother him. For most players, going that late in the draft is a blow to the ego. But Purdy? Nah, he just put his head down and went to work. And you have to respect that. He wasn’t coming into the league with a chip on his shoulder, he was coming in with a boulder-sized one.

Now, the 49ers weren’t exactly in a desperate need for a quarterback when they picked up Purdy. They had just traded a boatload of picks to move up and draft Trey Lance in 2021, and they still had Jimmy Garoppolo, a guy who had taken them to a Super Bowl in the past. So Purdy was very much seen as a developmental player. His job was to learn the playbook, practice hard, and be ready just in the slight chance all the quarterbacks get injured. But with Garoppolo and Lance ahead of him, it didn’t look like he was going to see the field any time soon.

Then came 2022, and, man, the 49ers’ quarterback situation became a rollercoaster. First, Lance went down with a season-ending injury early in the season, and Garoppolo had to take over. But in typical 49ers fashion, the injury bug struck again when Jimmy G broke his foot, leaving the team scrambling for answers. At this point, they were down to their third-string quarterback. Enter Brock Purdy. The season was in jeopardy, and fans weren’t exactly booming with confidence when they heard Purdy was going to be the man leading the charge.

In his first game, 49er fans were completely in shock. Purdy didn’t just manage the game he completely balled out. His first start came against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and what does Purdy do? He puts on an absolute clinic. He outplayed Tom Brady, yes that Tom Brady, on national television. Purdy threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns, leading the 49ers to a blowout 35-7 victory. Suddenly, this wasn’t some random backup QB filling in. People were taking notice. Purdy was showing poise, confidence, and that “it” factor that you just can’t teach to any football player.

The best part? He didn’t play like someone who was afraid to mess up. You know how some young quarterbacks get in there and play scared, just hoping not to throw a pick? Not Purdy. He was letting it rip, trusting his arm and decision-making, and most importantly, trusting the system 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had built.

Speaking of Kyle Shanahan, we need to talk about how his system has been the perfect fit for Brock. Shanahan has always been known for designing quarterback-friendly offences. Think back to when he was the offensive coordinator in Atlanta and helped Matt Ryan win MVP. His system focuses on timing, making quick decisions, and getting the ball out quickly, which is exactly what Purdy does best.

Shanahan didn’t need Purdy to be a superhero, he just needed him to be smart, accurate, and run the offence efficiently. Purdy was more than up to the task. Game after game, he stepped up, making the right reads, moving in the pocket to buy extra time, and, most importantly, making plays when the team needed them. That’s the thing with Purdy, he’s not flashy, but he’s effective. He plays with this calmness that you don’t often see in young quarterbacks like him, especially ones who were drafted so late.

By the time the regular season ended, the 49ers were rolling, and Purdy was leading the charge. What was even crazier was that the 49ers didn’t need him to be just good; they needed him to be great. And he was. San Francisco entered the playoffs with Super Bowl aspirations, and Purdy didn’t flinch under the bright lights.

He led the team through the Wild Card and Divisional Rounds, showing that his regular-season success wasn’t a fluke. His poise, accuracy, and ability to avoid mistakes were huge for a team that boasted a top-tier defence. But in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, disaster struck. Midway through the first quarter, Purdy suffered a UCL injury when he was hit while attempting a pass, which severely limited his ability to throw.

With the team down to their emergency quarterback, Josh Johnson, the 49ers fought hard but ultimately came up short. Even though they fell short in the NFC Championship game, by then, Purdy had already proved himself as a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL. The “Mr. Irrelevant” story had flipped on its head. Now, he was anything but irrelevant.

Heading into the 2023/24 season, there were high hopes for the 49ers, and much of that optimism was tied to Brock Purdy. After his impressive 2022 run and the team’s promising performance in the postseason, all eyes were on Brock Purdy to see if he could take the niners to the next step. Now, in most cases, there’s a certain amount of scepticism that follows young quarterbacks, especially ones drafted as late as Purdy. You think, “Was that run just a fluke? Can he sustain it?”

But here’s the thing with Purdy he didn’t just sustain his level of play in 2024, he elevated it. The 49ers had one of the most well-rounded rosters in the league, and with Purdy leading the charge, they went on a tear through the regular season. The offence was clicking on all cylinders, and Purdy’s ability to operate within Kyle Shanahan’s system only got better with more experience.

This was no small feat given the level of competition in the NFC. But the magic of Purdy is that he knows how to stay within himself. He doesn’t try to do too much, but when the team needs a big throw or a crucial third-down conversion, he delivers.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a 49ers season without a bit of injury drama. Around the middle of the season, Purdy suffered a minor injury that had fans holding their breath momentarily. Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing major, and after missing just one or two games, Purdy returned to lead the team on a dominant stretch run.

Now it was no doubt that the Niners made the playoffs that year. In the divisional round the Niners started their postseason with the 9-8 Green Bay Packers where they were able to seal a 24-21 victory and move onto the NFC Championship game where they would find themselves in a battle with the Detroit Lions. Now, at this time no one expected the Detroit Lions to make it past the wild card round yet alone make it to the NFC Championship Game. They somehow got past the 10-7 Los Angeles Rams and the 9-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Anyways, let’s focus on this NFC Championship Game we got on our hands. Well, the result of that game ended in the Niners favour as they ended the Cinderella run of the Detroit Lions and moved on to their first superbowl in 4 years. And guess who they face in the Super Bowl 58. None other than the defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs. Now the Chiefs roster is absolutely stacked, with key players like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce being a major reason why they’re the defending champs in the first place. This game however, was one of the closest games I’ve ever seen as a football fan. From lead changes to massive possession changes trust me this game had it all. And that’s not all, naturally the closest game of the season needed some overtime action. Unfortunately for the Niners and their fans, it ended with Chiefs victory as Mecole Hardman was open for the pass in the Niners endzone and made the Chiefs go back-to-back.

So here we are now in 2024, watching Purdy lead one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s wild to think that just two years ago, most fans didn’t even know his name, and now he’s the face of the San Francisco 49ers. What makes Purdy’s story so cool is how he defied every expectation of him. This was a guy who wasn’t even supposed to get a shot, let alone be the face of the franchise.

Looking ahead, the 49ers seem set at quarterback. And you have to think that with the weapons he has around him, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and the mastermind Kyle Shanahan calling plays, the sky’s the limit for the San Francisco 49ers.

In a league where first-round picks and hyped-up prospects often steal the headlines, Brock Purdy has reminded everyone that it’s not always about where you’re drafted, it’s about what you do when you get your shot. And man, has Purdy made the most of his. The future’s bright for this guy, and honestly, it’s going to be fun watching his career unfold from here.