More than three weeks ago, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy dropped some bombshell quotes in a long ESPN.com article regarding the team’s plan to try to sign Tom Brady to be the starter in 2023, regardless of whether Purdy was healthy. Purdy had not been asked about it by reporters covering the team.
On his last media availability before Super Bowl LVIII, the question finally came.
“Obviously, they were doing what was best for the team and trying to get a guy and make sure that there was stability within the organization at quarterback, and I don’t blame them for that,” Purdy said, via 49ersWebZone.com. “So that’s just the way it was. That’s the nature of the sport. Injuries happen, and you’ve got to get a guy that’s healthy and that can play.
“At that time, there was some uncertainty with when I was going to be back and everything. And I know that they didn’t look at what I did the year before as nothing. I know that. We had talked, and they totally respected the way I came in and handled business.
“And so, for me, though, there was that little chip on my shoulder. It was, ‘All right, if he does come, [I’ll] obviously compete, but he is the GOAT. You’ve got to learn from him, if that’s the case. But the competitive side of it was, ‘Hey, man, we were just one game away from the Super Bowl. I just got hurt. I can be the guy for this team.’
“So that was my mindset with it, but I understand why they were thinking about it.”
It would have been interesting to see how things would have played out if Brady had joined the team and if a healthy Purdy would have outperformed a 46-year-old during training camp and/or the preseason. Would they have benched Brady, if Purdy was better?
While it didn’t happen, the explanation from Purdy (which meshes with the explanation from coach Kyle Shanahan) would have been more helpful if it had come earlier in the postseason, when there was a vague sense that if Purdy had a multi-pick meltdown in a loss the 49ers might have looked elsewhere for 2024.
It’s now clear that he’s the guy for next year, and beyond. With a win on Sunday, Purdy will likely become the guy, for good.