Mr. Irrelevant on the route to relevance: Brock Purdy's amazing NFL journey so far with the 49ers

Brock Purdy wasn't expected to be much of a force in the NFL when he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Popularly known as Mr. Irrelevant, he was named a third-string quarterback in his rookie season, behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.

However, injuries to the two top quarterbacks gave Purdy a shot at the starting role. It's been an amazing story for the Iowa State alum ever since.

Capitalizing on the injuries of his teammates, Purdy got his first start in a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December 2022. The match gave him the distinction of being the sole quarterback to defeat a team led by Tom Brady in his inaugural career start.

He also started the following game against the Seattle Seahawks, which the 49ers won 21-13. Purdy became the second player in the history of the NFL, after Aaron Rodgers, to attain a combined quarterback rating of 115 or higher in his first two starts.

Purdy finished the regular season with five starts. He won every one of them. He also threw for 1,374 yards for 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Queen Creek native played a crucial role in securing the San Francisco 49ers the second seed in the playoffs.

Purdy's impressive performance was a key factor in the team's 10-game winning streak, which led the 49ers to clinch the division title and secure a spot in the NFC Championship Game. Injury in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles affected his performance and eventually denied the 49ers a Super Bowl appearance.

Could Brock Purdy start for the San Francisco 49ers?

Trey Lance

With Jimmy Garoppolo moving on to join the Las Vegas Raiders, Trey Lance appears to be the main competition for Purdy. Lance had his season cut short by injury last year after he was named the starting quarterback, which offers Purdy an advantage here.

Lance's first-round draft pick status may suggest he should start as the quarterback in the opinion of many NFL enthusiasts. The statistics, however, make it evident that Purdy is the ideal candidate to take on the role of the 49ers' starting quarterback.

John Lynch, the San Francisco 49ers' general manager, strongly hinted that Brock Purdy would be the frontrunner in the team's quarterback competition heading into training camp. Lynch expressed his support for the 49ers' 2022 Mr. Irrelevant, believing he has earned the right to claim the starting spot.

While Purdy may be considered the top contender for the starting quarterback position for the upcoming season, his offseason plans are still unclear due to the elbow injury he sustained during the 2023 NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he definitely has a chance to become the 49ers' next franchise quarterback.