For the second time in five seasons, the San Francisco 49ers are on their way to the Super Bowl, and on paper, they seem to have a far stronger team than they did the last time around.
The play of quarterback Brock Purdy, who has transformed from “Mr. Irrelevant” to an MVP contender and one of the best players in the NFL, is one factor in this.
“Brock Purdy is the 10th-best player on the 49ers”
To earn the 'game changer' label, you must be among the top three players on your team – @CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/ELmQRWF8yL
— 4thand1show (@4thand1show) January 31, 2024
Critics have complained that Purdy hasn’t led his team to victory in a crucial game after trailing late and that his impressive stats are only the result of having a lot of talent around him.
Meanwhile, nobody voiced the same criticism of Patrick Mahomes, who the Niners will face once more in the Super Bowl, when he defeated them in Super Bowl LIV while teaming up with star tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and other Pro Bowl players like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
After trailing 24-7 at halftime and appearing to be out of the picture, Purdy lit up the second half of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, going 13 of 16 to lead San Francisco to victory.
By bringing the Vince Lombardi Trophy back to California and keeping Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs from winning their third world title, he will have the opportunity to make his detractors appear incredibly silly.
Good