Brock Purdy, 49ers Look Like Perennial Super Bowl Contenders Despite Loss to Chiefs

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The San Francisco 49ers’ 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII will sting for quite some time. Eventually, Kyle Shanahan and Co. will shake it off and realize their championship window is not over now.

Instead, it’s just opening.

The primary reason why the blow should be lessened is because Niners are set at the game’s most important position. All kinds of descriptors have already been used to define the type of player Brock Purdy supposedly is, particularly leading up to the Super Bowl.

Only one really matters, though: He’s a franchise quarterback.

When the Niners lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl four years ago, the same couldn’t be said. Instead, when Jimmy Garoppolo outright missed a wide-open Emmanuel Sanders racing down the field for what could have been the game-winning touchdown with 1:33 remaining, the moment served as an organizational Rubicon.

A little over a year later, the 49ers traded three first-round picks for the right to select Trey Lance with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Lance never proved he was capable of taking over the job on a full-time basis, and Purdy—Mr. Irrelevant himself from the 2022 class—Wally Pipped the chosen one.

Instead of letting any bad blood fester by allowing a full-blown competition, the 49ers saw something special in Purdy during last season’s late run and anointed him the starting quarterback even though he suffered a torn UCL in his throwing elbow during the 2023 NFC Championship Game. General manager John Lynch shipped Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2024 fourth-round draft pick because the two sides were never, ever, ever getting back together.

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Purdy’s performance during the overtime loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII wasn’t to the level of Patrick Mahomes, of course. The latter is well on his way to becoming the best quarterback ever.

However, Purdy is only in his second season, and he missed a large portion of this past offseason recovering from a serious elbow injury. He’s only going to get better with more experience, and he’s pretty darn good already.

“So all those major categories that you kind of check off for quarterbacks? He’s got all of that, and that’s what he’s presenting and showing everybody,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters prior to the Super Bowl but after extensive film study.

Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo added, “Part of it is that he’s so poised. I don’t think people give him enough credit for the talent he has. And then, he’s got all those weapons around him. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with what I’ve watched on tape over the last eight days. I’ve watched about every game now, and I don’t see the guy making very many mistakes.”

To Spagnuolo’s point, the sophomore signal-caller entered Sunday’s meeting ranked first in the NFL with 16 touchdown passes, a 119.4 quarterback rating and an average of 9.9 yards per attempt against the blitz, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Purdy finished his first Super Bowl appearance by completing 12 of his 19 pass attempts against the blitz for 131 yards and a touchdown, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

During the Niners’ final three offensive possessions (excluding the final kneel-down in regulation), Purdy led three scoring drives to take the lead each time. He went 11-of-17 during that stretch, including a touchdown to wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

“I’m so proud of Brock,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the big game. “How he shows up every week, how he plays… He had an unbelievable year and did a hell of a job today.”

The draft process can be fickle. A prospect of Purdy’s slight build, average arm talent and marginal athleticism won’t draw attention despite being a four-year starter at an overachieving program in a Power Five conference. It’s because his best traits aren’t quantifiable, even though they show up on film.

Purdy’s poise, pocket presence and processing speed are preposterous. He manipulates his throwing lanes by making the necessary subtle movements to create space and then delivers a catchable ball with anticipation and usually in rhythm.

So when two of the league’s best minds shower him with praise, even if they’re from the other team that just won another title, everyone should listen.

The financial aspect of Purdy’s emergence is a huge sign that this isn’t a last hoorah for San Francisco. The Niners’ starting quarterback will be the NFL’s best bargain over the next two seasons since he’s on a seventh-round rookie contract. In fact, some undrafted free agents from the same class signed bigger signing bonuses.

Over the next two seasons, Purdy’s salary-cap charge doesn’t exceed $1.1 million. While San Francisco’s front office can approach Purdy about a contract extension for the first time next offseason, those additional years will be tacked onto his current deal.

These are the prime years for the 49ers to not only make another Super Bowl but come out victorious. While San Francisco doesn’t have much in terms of projected salary-cap space for the ’24 campaign, the team isn’t in the red, per Spotrac. The organization does have significant rollover cap space incoming, plus an opportunity to rework some larger deals already on the books to massage the numbers a little.

Lynch positioned the roster well, with Chase Young being the only major piece whom the team should attempt to re-sign. Young played well opposite Nick Bosa, as San Francisco’s defensive front controlled much of Sunday’s contest.

The core can remain intact, while the front office continues to add more. Aside from Purdy and Bosa, running back Christian McCaffrey, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end George Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and safety Ji’Ayir Brown are all signed at least through the 2025 campaign.

The 49ers can use this offseason to concentrate on potential contract extensions for safety Talanoa Hufanga, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who suffered an Achilles injury during the Super Bowl—all of whom are currently 26 or younger.

The draft can provide fortifications, with eyes toward the offensive line. San Francisco could rework the right side, and it needs an eventual succession plan for whenever the 35-year-old Williams chooses to retire.

While these aren’t small matters, the 49ers aren’t going to hemorrhage talent either from on-field or coaching personnel. San Francisco has a budding star at quarterback, a deep enough roster and an excellent staff to move beyond its current disappointment and find the squad in the same place next year or the season thereafter.

“We’re hurting right now but it doesn’t take away how proud of my guys I am,” Shanahan said. “I love our team, we’ll recover and be back next year strong.”

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.