In the NFL, no quarterback wants to be dubbed a “system QB”: someone who relies heavily on specific offensive schemes and surrounding talent. But San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy, who was drafted 262nd and was the final pick in the 7th round of the 2022 NFL Draft, has been stuck with a bad rep of being “Mr. Irrelevant”. Despite the Niners going 4-0 this season, the nickname and claims about him being a system QB have persisted. But one former NFL quarterback disagrees.
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Speaking to Mystic Zach Hirsch on the October 10 episode of Double Coverage, former QB Robert Griffin III spoke about how Purdy’s slightly shorter and compact physique does not take away from his athleticism or make him any different from legends like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning when it came to following a particular offensive scheme.
“Brock is short, but what Brock Purdy does so well is he plays with great rhythm and timing. He’s not sneaky athletic. You’ll never hear me say that. I hate that term. You’re either athletic or you’re not athletic. He’s athletic,” Griffin said. “And I think Brock being short, being Mr. Irrelevant, not having a Josh Allen type arm, all these things are painted against him as if he’s not good.”
Griffin pointed out that rather than being disappointed by public opinion and raging out, Purdy let his contributions to his team’s wins speak for themselves. The former NFL star pointed out that Purdy was consistent in his performance and had a knack for making the right decisions regarding passing, running, or throwing, thanks to high football IQ.
Griffin further explained that he disliked the concept of a “system QB”, stating that when Brady or Manning moved to a new team, they didn’t simply go with the flow and integrate themselves into the coach’s existing offensive strategy. Rather, they brought their own system and forced the team and coaches to accommodate their playstyle into the schemes.
“What did Tom Brady do when he went to Tampa Bay? Did he just say, ‘You know what, I’m going to run Bruce Arian’s offense. I’m just going to come in and whatever you want, coach, I’m going to do it.’ No. He brought his system,” Griffin explained.
In that first year at Tampa Bay, Brady threw for 4,633 yards alongside 40 touchdowns thrown.
“When Peyton Manning went from the Colts to the Broncos, did he just go there and be like, ‘Yep, you know what, Coach John F., I’m just gonna run whatever offense,” he continued. “You’re a defensive guy, but I’m gonna run the offense that you want me to run.’ No. He brought his system with him. Every quarterback is a system quarterback.”
It just so happened that Purdy was the perfect QB for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system. And as Griffin pointed out, not a lot of people can actually make Shanahan’s scheme work as flawlessly as Purdy, which, in Griffin’s eyes, made Purdy “an elite quarterback”.
He further noted that the only times Purdy’s performance suffered during the playoffs were if he was injured. Speaking of playoffs and the Super Bowl, he compared Purdy to Brady once more.
“Tom Brady was a quarterback that you won with the first three Super Bowls that he won. And then he turned into a quarterback you win because of,” Griffin said. “Brock Purdy hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet, but I think he has made that transition from a quarterback you can win with to a quarterback you win because of.”
Griffin’s comments revealed his belief that the Niners QB has the potential to make San Francisco a Super Bowl contender.
This season, Purdy is averaging a 69.9% completion rate, slightly greater than his career average of 68.1%. He has already gained 1,007 passing yards, thrown 11 touchdowns, and suffered just one interception so far. If Purdy and the Niners can keep up the consistent performance, that day might not be very far off.