27 January 2023 , 18:32
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The San Francisco 49ers face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday with a place in the Super Bowl up for grabs, and Brock Purdy could become the "greatest ever rookie quarterback" should he complete the unthinkable.
It's been some ride for the very last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, as 'Mr Irrelevant' has become one of the most talked about names in the league. Following injuries to Trey Lance and then Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy stepped in, and he has won every single game he has started since.
It's led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game, and they're just two wins away from securing their first Super Bowl success since the 1994 season. Not only would a title write Purdy's name into the 49ers history books, it's been claimed it will give him the honour of "greatest ever rookie quarterback".
The 49ers are on an incredible run, winning their last 12 games and finally finding the perfect balance of defence and offense. There were concerns when Purdy was tasked with the quarterback role earlier in the season, but no one is questioning him now.
The 23-year-old has taken his opportunity with both hands, and has a bright future ahead of him. But all he'll be thinking about is winning in Philadelphia on Sunday, and then dominating in Arizona on February 12.
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No rookie quarterback has ever won the Super Bowl, which is hardly surprising as most young picks don't start right away, or those that do are usually high draft picks for the worst teams in the league. Purdy has the chance to do what no man ever has before, and former NFL player Jason Bell thinks that he could become the "greatest ever rookie".
Brock Purdy is leading the all-time statistics for a rookie quarterbackBell, former NFL player and 888sport brand ambassador said: "Brock Purdy has been absolutely amazing since he replaced Jimmy Garoppolo as the 49ers quarterback. "While experience certainly isn’t on his side, his stats in both the regular season and post-season are very impressive.
"If any rookie QB can take their team to a Super Bowl, Purdy might just be the guy!" Purdy has certainly established himself, but it leaves the 49ers in a tough spot looking ahead of this season.
They gave up a lot to bring in Lance, but it's surely not possible to even consider dropping Purdy following his incredible run. Bell also stated that Purdy should start for the 49ers next season, comparing his situation to Tom Brady's when he found his feet at the New England Patriots.
Purdy is yet to lose a game as a starter in the NFL"Brock Purdy has definitely proven that he’s going to be the 49ers quarterback at the start of next season," Bell added. "There’s no getting away from the fact he has one of the best offensive rosters in the NFL, however he’s shown in his short NFL career so far that he has the skillset to execute and be effective with the players he has at his disposal.
"It shows that you just never know when you’re going to get a chance in the NFL and when it comes you’ve got to take it. This guy is really good and he’s taking advantage of his situation the same way Tom Brady did all those years ago.
"We could be talking about Purdy for years to come, just like we are with Brady. He has all the tools to be really really good in this league."