A recurring storyline in the NFL season has been Brock Purdy’s play. The second-year quarterback was selected with the 262nd and final choice in the 2022 draft, earning him the title of “Mr Irrelevant” that year. However, he went on to lead the NFL in quarterback rating this season and guided the 49ers, the top seed, all the way to the Super Bowl this year.

Despite the Iowa State quarterback’s incredible accomplishment as a last selection choice, and his impressive stat line and track record of winning games in the NFL thus far, there are still many who doubt him.

Some have referred to him as a “game manager” quarterback who only wins games and racks up impressive stats because of his supporting cast and the QB-friendly offense that Kyle Shanahan runs. Jerry Rice, a 49ers legend who still owns a number of NFL records and won three Super Bowls with the team, quickly refuted this accusation.

“They keep calling him ‘Mr Irrelevant,’ Brock Purdy, supposed to be that, I guess, game manager,” Rice said to the NFL Network.He seems like a really good quarterback to me. He went on, “I think we have a chance,” before drawing some admirable parallels.

According to Rice, “He makes plays, man, like a [Joe] Montana, like a Steve Young.” “Just an ordinary person with a desire to succeed. He will exert every effort to achieve that triumph.

When the 49ers meet the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas on February 11, Purdy will be participating in his first Super Bowl. He will go up against two-time NFL and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.