Former NFL Pro Bowler says one thing can prove 49ers QB Brock Purdy isn't overpaid
Former NFL Pro Bowler says one thing can prove 49ers QB Brock Purdy isn't overpaid
After taking Trey Lance in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft and starting him for just two games in his rookie season, the San Francisco 49ers took a late-round flyer on Iowa State's Brock Purdy with the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
Purdy ascended to the starting quarterback in his rookie seasons after Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injuries, and he led them to a 5-0 record. In 2023, Purdy was named the starter out of camp, led the 49ers to a 12-4 record and a Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last year, Purdy saw a drop in production, completing just 65.9% of his passes for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while bringing his team to a 6-9 record, which fell short of the playoffs.
The 25-year-old became extension eligible this offseason, and San Francisco rewarded their quarterback with a massive five-year, $265 million extension that put him tied with the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff as the seventh-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL ($53 million annually).
Purdy was already a lightning rod for conversation and hot takes, but this new contract has ramped up the discussion to the point where whether or not Purdy is worth the money is a national storyline. In fact, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who trains with 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the offseason, spent some time dissecting the narrative in recent days.
"If Brock Purdy takes the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl and they win it, then his contract is well worth it," Houshmandzadeh said on "Speak" on FOX Sports with Keyshawn Johnson, Paul Pierce and Joy Taylor. "Until he does that, he's overpaid."
Purdy has brought his team to the brink of a Super Bowl once in just three years in the NFL and two as a full-time starter. No matter who's around him, players or coaches, that's an impressive feat. However, that's how the league works these days. If you're not winning a Super Bowl or the MVP, whether or not you're with the salary is up for debate.
In 2025, Purdy will have an opportunity to prove some of his doubters wrong, and that's not something new, considering he was the first Mr. Irrelevant to start an NFL game at quarterback, and he's turned that into generational wealth.
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