2026 will mark the first season San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is playing off his original rookie contract, signed after he was made the final selection of the 2022 NFL Draft.
A lot has certainly changed since then, including Purdy's payouts in contrast to what he used to earn.
But one thing has largely remained the same: Detractors (and there are still many) still view him as little more than a system quarterback, propped up by head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense and aided by a star-studded cast of proven offensive weapons.
Perhaps that's why the NFL Top 100 recently named the former "Mr. Irrelevant" the 85th best player entering 2026, not higher. True, injuries effectively cut the quarterback's 2025 campaign in half, but the disrespect nevertheless continues.
Sadly, those opinions aren't likely to change anytime soon.
Unless Purdy checks off a couple of coveted boxes on his nevertheless-impressive to-do list.
Brock Purdy will silence every critic with these 2 achievements
Die-hard fans understand there's so much more to quarterbacking than just "team wins" and Super Bowl rings, yet casual fans make up the hefty portion of the fanbase. So, very simple accolades matter a lot more than passer rating, ADOT, WAR and whatever other metrics us in-depth types look at.
So, here's what Purdy will have to do to fully quiet those who think he's just mid:
- Win a Super Bowl
- Win an NFL MVP award
Easy, right? Hah, no. But the casual NFL fanbase will shed any doubt about Purdy if he achieves both of those measures. And, with the Niners' Super Bowl window still very much open, 2026 is about as good an opportunity for a Lombardi Trophy as any other in the quarterback's four-plus years in the league.
As far as the MVP, though, it's not quite as far-fetched as you may think.
MVP race already features Brock Purdy as a darkhorse contender
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay compiled a list of darkhorse award winners for each of the NFL's biggest individual accolades this upcoming season, and by this point, you probably can figure out who he named for league MVP.
Yes, Purdy. You're smart.
It's not just a random name grab, though. Kay's explanation of why he chose San Francisco's signal-caller speaks a lot of sense:
"Extrapolating Purdy's 2025 numbers across a full 17-game campaign would result in approximately 4,100 yards and 38 touchdowns through the air with another six scores on the ground. Those marks may not have been good enough to best eventual NFL MVP Matt Stafford, but they would have certainly put Purdy him right in the thick of the race.
With the Niners facing a relatively easy schedule and providing Purdy with more weapons in Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and second-round rookie De'Zhaun Stribling (plus the return of talented incumbents in Ricky Pearsall and Christian McCaffrey), this passing offense is poised to improve upon the already-impressive No. 5 ranking it finished 2025 with.
You won't find a better dark-horse value on a preseason MVP bet than you will with Purdy. If he can stay healthy and the Niners play their usual brand of high-octane football, he's a lock for a top-five finish with a good chance of finally breaking through and claiming the award."
Even the most casual fan can see the advanced logic in Kay's argument.
Provided Purdy and the bulk of his offensive cast stay healthy, 2026 is as good a shot as ever to check off those two remaining items on the quarterback's to-do list.
Too bad winning both a Super Bowl and league MVP award isn't exactly an easy thing. But, if Purdy did it, those critics would have zero argument in the aftermath.
Add us as a preferred source on Google