'I Get It!' Rams Rival 49ers Would Almost Picked Legendary Passer Over Brock Purdy
The San Francisco 49ers are a problem, and with head coach Kyle Shanahan leading the charge, they will probably continue to be – indefinitely. With that comes his de facto quarterback factory that turned Jimmy Garoppolo into an incredibly efficient passer and Brock Purdy into one of the most polarizing players in the league.
How San Francisco eventually chooses to compensate Purdy – or re-enter the quarterback carousel – could shape the longevity of their reign atop the NFC. For now, though, Purdy is the guy under center and has been wildly productive in doing so.
However, after saving the 49ers season a year ago, only to get hurt in the NFC Championship Game, he wasn’t guaranteed a starting job – especially with the greatest of all time only half-heartedly stepping into retirement.
Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady could have had one last ride with the team he grew up rooting for. A storybook ending to an illustrious career, Shanahan would have had to oblige, and Purdy knew it.
“Early in the offseason, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan sat down with Purdy and assured him that if he was healthy he would be the starter unless Brady wanted to play one more season for his hometown Niners,” ESPN wrote.
“That means so much to me,” Purdy said. “I remember him saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we’re going to try to get him.”
Brady’s final season in Tampa Bay was a good one, even if not the elite play of the two decades prior. The Buccaneers won the NFC South at 8-9 before losing to the Dallas Cowboys. Brady threw for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
Purdy, meanwhile, went 5-0 in the regular season. He was more productive than Garoppolo, who had gotten hurt, besting him in yards per attempt (8.1), passer rating (107.3), quarterback rating (67.5), and touchdown percentage (7.6 percent).
“Yeah, he’s the G.O.A.T. I get it,” Purday said.
Even so, Purdy wasn’t totally on board. He was an elbow injury away from keeping a conference game close, and potentially beating the Philadelphia Eagles on the way to the Super Bowl.
“But something deep down inside of me was sort of like, ‘Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system,” Purdy said. “And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.”
We’ll never know what would have come out of that string of events, but it’s fair to say that San Francisco sticking with Purdy – and enjoying his successes in 2023 – didn’t bode well for Los Angeles. Not only did the 49ers beat the Rams in his lone start against them, they ran away with the NFC. On Sunday, they’ll once again play for a chance at the Super Bowl.
Purdy is a problem, whether he’s carried by his surrounding cast or not. A better quarterback stepping in this season may have been better for Los Angeles’ long-term prospects in the NFC West.
