Former Pro Bowl QB says NFL needs to accept this 'fact' about 49ers QB Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers' loss in Super Bowl LVIII solidified the opinion in some circles that the hype surrounding quarterback Brock Purdy was only that, hype. However, former NFL QB Robert Griffin III recently shared a different take while pointing out a harsh reality for Purdy doubters. 

"People are very slow to accept the fact that he was the best quarterback in the NFL this year, and that's just by the numbers," Griffin said on his podcast. "You're talking about first in QBR, first in passer rating, first in touchdown percentage, first in EPA per play. The list goes on and on about what Brock Purdy was able to accomplish, and it wasn't just the scheme." 

Griffin added that most of the criticisms levied at Purdy can be easily disproved or sound ridiculous in context. For instance, some discredit his success because of the weapons he has around him, such as running back Christian McCaffrey, wideout Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle. If you look around the NFL, though, quarterbacks who win typically have playmakers to lean on. 

When it comes to why many haven't fully bought into Purdy as a face-of-the-franchise type quarterback, Griffin believes jealousy may be involved. 

"I don't think it has anything to do with Brock Purdy," the former Pro Bowler explained. "I think it has more so to do with how they feel about themselves and how they wish they had that opportunity."

Whether or not Purdy's play over the last two seasons has been enough to convince the 49ers that he should be their QB1 for the foreseeable future is still debatable. At times, he has shown the intangibles of a championship QB in the playoffs, but his postseason statistics were middle-of-the-row, adding credence to the belief that his ceiling is that of a "game manager." 

Among postseason QBs, Purdy ranked seventh in passing yards per game (258) and 11th in passer rating (88.3). Five quarterbacks threw more touchdown passes than Purdy in the playoffs, four of whom played fewer games. 

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently backed Purdy, but rumors that the team could take a look at impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins have at least been floated.

Either way, it seems the jury is still out regarding views on Purdy and his future.