SANTA CLARA, Calif. – In the week leading up to Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy didn't allow himself to go back to what happened the last time he played in that setting.
When asked what it meant to him to have another shot at the NFC title after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow early in a devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last year, Purdy acknowledged that “he got hurt and was disgusting.” That was it.
Instead of taking a walk down memory lane, Purdy wanted to accelerate into the future. With his team trailing the Lions by 17 points entering the third quarter Sunday night, Purdy's refusal to look back sparked San Francisco's exciting comeback.
Sure, Purdy reversed his passing woes in the first half. but it was his electric scramble (along with a little luck) that really turned the 49ers' fortunes around. As coach Kyle Shanahan said, Purdy's legs, whether from rushing yards or evading pressure to get the ball to his receivers, were “the difference between winning and losing.”
Barring a pair of kneels, Purdy ran three times for 52 yards, including a pair of 21-yard runs to set up the touchdowns that gave San Francisco the lead for good in a 34-31 victory that sent the 49ers to their eighth Super Bowl.
“Have you ever seen one of those little water dragons that run on water?” tight end George Kittle said. “That's what I imagined every time I ran. [the] football. …he's just a tough guy. A lot of courage for him and he understands that when he plays at a high level, when he needs to play at a high level, everyone around him is better.”
All season, Purdy's teammates and coaches have insisted that he has been a quarterback who makes everyone around him better. Many critics of him insist that Purdy has been a product of the talent that surrounds him and the scheme in which he plays. But as the 49ers head into their Super Bowl LVIII rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (6:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, Feb. 11, CBS), the experience of the past two weeks has only strengthened his confidence in the second-year quarterback.
As the Niners racked up 12 wins in the regular season and claimed first place in the NFC, they often ran away from their opponents early in games. Many wondered if they, and especially Purdy, were capable of turning around when things were not going well.
Lost in that conversation was Purdy being one of the main reasons the Niners were rarely losing. When Purdy played well through the first three quarters, he often wasn't needed to play in the fourth, much less be tasked with late-game heroics.
But these playoffs have changed the script. In each of the last two weeks, the Niners have fallen behind and been on the brink of having their season unravel. Purdy has had trouble getting on track early, whether because of the weather or simply missing shots he normally makes.
However, when the Niners needed him most, Purdy figured it out. It's a trait they hope will serve them well and make the difference between winning and losing on Super Bowl Sunday.
“I don't have enough good things to say about Brock,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “Everything he's done since he got here is play at an elite level. It all starts with him. We're lucky he's our quarterback. He gets a lot of pressure for no reason. Everything he's done he's been a great leader. and has been “He's a great player. “I'm very proud of him and excited that I'll get another one with him this year.”
Purdy's performance against the Lions was instrumental in ensuring McCaffrey and the Niners had that extra opportunity. While Purdy finished 20 of 31 for 267 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception in addition to his five carries for 48 yards, his splits in the first and second half offered an accurate reflection of how the game went for the Niners. .
In the first two quarters, Purdy was 7 of 15 for 93 yards with one interception. In the final 30 minutes, he was 13 of 16 for 174 yards with a touchdown pass and 49 yards rushing. That running ability generated a career-high plus 10.6 expected points added in fights, leading to six first downs. In addition to scrambles for rushing yards, he was 3-of-4 for 41 yards and three first downs on scrambles that turned into passes.
Purdy's 315 combined yards through the air and on the ground were the most by a 49ers quarterback in a conference title victory.
“You have to find a way,” Purdy said. “I feel like throughout my life I've struggled and stuff here and there. Since I've been here, I feel like I haven't done it much… I was just trying to keep the chains moving, keep going.” It gives our team some momentum and some juice. I had to do it, so I did it.”
It's that approach from Purdy that leads his teammates to come to his defense, although Purdy doesn't seem to pay attention to what's being said about him. McCaffrey, Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, defensive end Chase Young, defensive tackle Arik Armstead and safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. offered high praise for Purdy and mocked the outside noise.
Even the team's social media account took the opportunity to mock the “game administrator” tag that is often presented to Purdy.
We made our way back to the Super Bowl 😏#FTTB pic.twitter.com/XYdY1dRJls
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 29, 2024
Now, Purdy has the opportunity to pull out the ultimate trump card. He has long since overcome last year's elbow injury and is in his first Super Bowl appearance. He is one of four quarterbacks (joining Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson and Mark Sanchez) to win four playoff games in their first two seasons.
But to get the No. 5 spot, Purdy and the Niners will have to go through Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It's a matchup Purdy called “special for all of us,” given that the Chiefs denied the Niners a Lombardi Trophy in their Super Bowl LIV meeting four years ago.
There will be a lot of talk about whether Purdy, the former Mr. Irrelevant, can surpass Mahomes, the standard-bearer at the position who has already waded into “greatest of all time” conversations.
But the Niners don't see it that way. They don't want Purdy to be anyone other than the guy who has repeatedly answered yes to every question about him. They want him to be the guy who will do whatever it takes to win, just like he has done the last two weeks.
They want him to be himself.
“He's an unbelievable quarterback,” Juszczyk said. “He is a Super Bowl quarterback and I intend for him to lead us to a victory in two weeks.”
