When the San Francisco 49ers chose quarterback prospect Brock Purdy with the 262nd and final pick in the 2022 draft, the image of him taking meaningful snaps this season was inconceivable. The franchise decided to retain veteran signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo, with Trey Lance as the clear heir-apparent. But plans in the NFL are often written in pencil, and with the playoffs near, Purdy's received an opportunity to erase the "Mr. Irrelevant" label from his profile.
As the de facto fill-in for Garoppolo, who broke his foot in Week 13, Purdy has defied the expectations of a late-round draft pick. In the 49ers' 21-13 road win over the rival Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, the 22-year-old completed 17-of-26 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, helping the team clinch its first NFC West crown since 2019. Purdy has revived a Super Bowl contender, and former 49ers linebacker Bill Romanowski is already likening him to a legend.
"I have to admit, I'm pretty blown away -- he's got some Joe Montana in him," Romanowski told CBS Sports Radio's "The Zach Gelb Show" on Friday night. "He's got crazy confidence, and he's calm. The moment isn't too big for him. He's executing, he's smart. I mean, how the guy was the last person taken in the draft, I don't get it. Because I see a phenomenal player... I think he's their franchise quarterback.
"The only wild card in this is, there's not a lot of tape on Purdy. Because of it, defensive coordinators don't really have a good feel on how to attack him yet. That might be the wild card here... As soon as they figure out where his weak points are and tendencies are, they may start attacking strengths. That might be a difference-maker. But, as far as what I see, I see a franchise quarterback of the 49ers for the next, call it, 15-20 years."
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