For some strange reason, the NFL has had extreme difficulty determining the answer to one question: Is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy good?
It's a straightforward question that has elicited many answers. He has been labeled a "game manager" by many, a common knock on numerous quarterbacks who have been tasked with running Kyle Shanahan's offense.
A recent metric has surfaced, though, that has made such a claim nearly inarguable, and no one is paying attention.
Findings have surfaced on X that depict Brock Purdy as one of the only quarterbacks in the who boasts an elite EPA per play both inside the pocket and out. In other words, he is one of the few gun slingers in the NFL that can say they are both an effective pocket passer and an off-script playmaker.
Stats simply don't support Brock Purdy's 'game manager' narrative
The findings come on the heels of ESPN's list of top-10 quarterbacks, a list that Purdy did not make. The conflicting narratives only further highlight the confusion surrounding the sixth-year passer.
For much of his career, Purdy has struggled to garner credit from NFL pundits, in large part because of the roster around him. His disappointing 2024 campaign didn't do him any favors, as the only losing season of his career just happened to occur when star running back Christian McCaffrey played in just four games.
The metric regarding EPA per play, however, is about the best rebuttal Purdy has against those who claim he only manages games. EPA measures a player's direct contribution to how much value they add to a team's chances of scoring. In short, it's a bit difficult to cheat the system.
Therefore, those who claim he has ridden the coattails of a loaded roster are forced to confront the fact that it is actually Purdy who might be making his teammates look better. If such a fact is true, then it is the best argument the former Iowa product has had toward erasing the game-managing stereotype.
Regardless, Purdy is likely focused on helping his team win in 2026, but 49ers fans will be overjoyed to have yet another reason to believe in their franchise quarterback. Despite what those outside of Niners fandom say, the red and gold boast one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, and it isn't a stretch to think that he is good enough to keep the team's Super Bowl aspirations alive.
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