Who is Brock Purdy and why is he setting the NFL on fire? Purdy is a 22-year-old kid picked last in the 2022 draft by the San Francisco 49ers which earned him the nickname, Mr. Irrelevant. Some may consider that being compared to being picked in gym class last. Many Mr. Irrelevants over the years don’t even make the team’s football roster. Purdy being picked 262 in the 7th round made the 49ers roster and came in 3rd on depth chart at the quarter back position. With injuries, Purdy has slowly moved up the quarterback totem pole which started in week 2 where the 49ers lost Trey Lance to a season ending injury. What a bad idea that was having Lance as the starter. Everything else this year the 49ers touched had been golden. In the 49ers blow out loss, Purdy saw some game action. Purdy completed one pass to wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III for 20 yards & made history for the Mr. Irrelevant position. Since Jimmy Garoppolo went down with an injury, the Purdy Cat has pounced on his opportunity like felines hearing the tuna can being opened. Purdy has went head to head with the GOAT. The 49ers have clinched the NFC West and have not missed a beat.

I thought Iowa was if you built it they will come, meaning the game of baseball. Is the state of Iowa now a quarterback haven? How did Iowa State University miss that as they need a something way better than what they have behind center these days. Kurt Warner was discovered from his playing days with the Iowa Barnstormers, the Arena Football team. Brock Purdy has come into the NFL like a cyclone sweeping through the corn fields in the state of Iowa throwing scarecrows in all directions. Purdy hails from Iowa State University and pretty much rewrote all the records there behind center. Purdy set school records for touchdown passes with 81 and passing yards with 12,170. Purdy is also the university’s best behind center in wins throughout his collegiate career. Purdy earned himself second team academic All-American honors. Guys from smaller schools are destined for the USFL or XFL rather than playing with big boys in the NFL.

Brock Purdy moved up to the number two spot when Trey Lance went down. Then Jimmy Garoppolo went down early in the game when the 49ers were facing the up and coming Dolphins team. On came Purdy who has only been involved in some mop up duty so far in his rookie campaign. Purdy helped the 49ers beat the Dolphins. Then in his first start, Purdy faced 7-X Superbowl champion Tom Brady for who the 49ers were his team growing up. Brady trying to get his Buccaneers in the playoffs and facing the team he rooted for may give him extra juice. The 49ers blew out the Buccaneers 35-7. Brady’s record versus rookie quarterbacks in his career goes to 23-5. Then last night Purdy faced the Seattle Seahawks in his second career start. The 49ers would prevail and win the NFC West cementing themselves in the playoffs. Purdy becomes the first quarterback to win his first two starts since the kneeler Colin Kaepernick. In two starts Purdy is completing 70% of his passes. Only quarterback to complete that high of percentage since 1950. In two starts, Purdy has completed 33-47 passes for 402 yards for 4 touchdown passes and most importantly zero interceptions. Purdy’s QB rating in those starts are 124.6. Only Aaron Rodgers and Purdy now are two guys to have a QB Rating higher than 115 plus in their first two starts. Rodgers did that in 2008. Purdy has played in 6 games and has 6 touchdown passes to 2 interceptions for 678 yards.

This is not the first time the 49ers have done well after their starting quarterback went down. In 2011, Alex Smith went down with a concussion late in the season. The 49ers went to Colin Kaepernick and he helped get San Francisco to the Superbowl as the team had pretty much everything wrapped up. Let’s hope Brock Purdy’s career does not go in the crapper like Kaepernick after that Superbowl loss to the Baltimore Ravens. I live in Chicago and have never seen the Bears change out a quarterback like a light bulb which resulted in brighter victories. Bears bulbs were used mostly burned out. Sometimes it comes down to the system. Kyle Shanahan’s system means many quarterbacks can do well except their number one draft pick, Trey Lance. Right now Brock Purdy reminds me of a guy like Kyle Orton, a quarterback you can trust not to screw up things. The 49ers have a great defense. The 49ers have a great offensive line to protect Purdy. The 49ers can run the ball well. The 49ers have playmakers. All’s Mr. Irrelevant has to do is his best impersonation of Trent Dilfer. Dilfer guided the Ravens to a Superbowl win as they had that great defense that year with a great running game. It is a great story seeing the underdog come out of nowhere and do well. Some may have to ask, “Is this Heaven?” seeing Purdy Mr. Irrelevant make history. No it’s Iowa.