Ever since returning from his six-week absence due to a toe injury, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy, has demonstrated some extraordinary capabilities. The team, which was 6-4 by Week 10, is now 12-4, all thanks to him. So, after assessing his recent performances, NFL legend Kurt Warner pointed out that even without ideal physical traits, Purdy stands out as a unique signal-caller in the NFL.

“Brock’s playing really good football,” Kurt Warner said on the latest episode of The Rich Eisen Show. “We’ve lost sight to some degree that you can play this position at an extremely high level without just being a freak athlete or having this freak physical ability.

“I’m often wowed by throws that Brock makes just because I know the nature of what they’re asking him to do and how tough it is to make a 16-yard throw and have to throw it up over a linebacker and drop it in under a safety on a consistent basis. It may not look impressive. But those things are impressive because not everybody in the league can do those things.”

Well, this is not the first time Warner was in awe of Brock Purdy’s skills. After watching Purdy’s performance in the Week 16 game against the Colts, the former QB had also pointed out that Purdy thrives on anticipation, timing, and mental processing while throwing. And Warner was not wrong in his assessment of the QB’s abilities.

This season, Brock Purdy recorded a 69.3 completion percentage on throws of 20-plus yards, as per StatMuse.

In Week 17, he even delivered a clutch 38-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jauan Jennings with just 2:15 left to seal a wild 42–38 win over the Chicago Bears. And Purdy’s deep-ball reputation isn’t new, either.

Post the 2023 season, the Niners’ QB earned the PFF top ranking among quarterbacks by targeted depth with a near-perfect 99.9 passing grade. On passes traveling 20-plus yards downfield, he completed 30 of 53 throws for 956 yards, 11 TDs, and just one INT. So, Warner believes that Purdy’s success sends a larger message to the NFL.

“[Purdy] is proving that there are different ways to still be really successful in the NFL as a quarterback. And that the dropback passer or the guys that play with anticipation and with their mind first can’t succeed in the NFL anymore. I fully disagree with that. I look at guys like Joe Burrow and Brock Purdy and say not only can you succeed, you can succeed at the highest level doing those things,” Warner added. “Jared Goff is another guy. You don’t necessarily have to have all these physical traits that are awesome.”

When you compare the dropback stats of the three QBs that Warner talked about, Purdy’s efficiency becomes even more impressive. As per PFF, in just eight games this season, Purdy has 246 dropbacks and is ranked 33rd.

Then, Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow has recorded 211 dropbacks across seven games this season and is ranked 37th. Meanwhile, Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff is ranked fifth in the league with 579 under his name, but that comes over a full 16-game slate.

Besides, Purdy has also thrived under pressure this season. Against the Bears’ defense, he faced pressure on eight of his 38 dropbacks and still completed three of four passes for 14 yards and 2 TDs. The Bears’ defense also sacked him only once. That efficiency explains why Purdy’s pressure-to-sack rate of 7.7 percent remains the lowest among all qualifying QBs in the NFL. It is clear that Purdy’s performance has been on another level lately.

Brock Purdy is turning his naysayers into believers!

In Week 16 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Niners’ QB dissected coverages from the opening drive. Brock Purdy threw for 295 yards and 5 TDs in that game. And after his latest outing against Chicago (24 of 33 passes for 303 yards, 5 total TDs, and one INT), the 26-year-old has become the first 49ers QB to account for five TDs in back-to-back games. That record even put him in rare company alongside NFL legends like Tom Brady, who accomplished the same in 2007. 

Purdy also became just the sixth player in the Super Bowl era to do so in consecutive games. 

No wonder even Purdy’s critics are taking notice. Former NFL running back and Fox analyst LeSean McCoy, once one of Purdy’s loudest skeptics, changed his tune after watching the QB’s Week 17 performance.

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“I like this Brock Purdy, and I want to apologize,” McCoy said on the Speakeasy show. Critics like former player Cam Newton and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky have also praised the quarterback. 

Purdy’s rise with the 49ers has shifted perceptions around the league, but he isn’t celebrating just yet.  After the win over Chicago, he made it clear the 49ers aren’t satisfied. San Francisco will face the Seattle Seahawks next, with the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed on the line. And the Niners will hope that Purdy keeps delivering when it matters most.