The San Francisco 49ers are entering year 10 of the Kyle Shanahan era and have two Super Bowl appearances to show for it. Widely considered one of the brightest minds in the NFL, the coach has compiled an impressive resume during his time with the franchise.
His latest prodigy, Brock Purdy, is off to a fine start in his own career. The young quarterback took part in one of those Super Bowl runs and has been deemed the team's quarterback of the future. Yet the league refuses to put him among the position's best. Ironically, his underappreciated status may stem from his own head coach's notoriety.
Former NFL scout turned podcaster John Middlekauff spoke on the matter the other day on Colin Cowherd's podcast, and his thoughts were candid.
"Kyle Shanahan is the most important guy in the organization. He is the equivalent of, like, an NBA star... If you have Nikola Jokić, your floor is still pretty high, or LeBron James in his prime, or Steph Curry," Middlekauff said.
49ers' Brock Purdy can't escape Shanahan's shadow
The podcaster also emphasized that San Francisco won a playoff game in Philadelphia last year without George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa. He attributed the victory to Shanahan while giving Purdy no recognition.
His comments match the rest of the league's opinion on the former Iowa QB. It's why Shanahan repeatedly ranks among the league's most prolific coaches, while Purdy fails to crack lists at his own position. Throughout his career, the franchise player has struggled to shake the "system quarterback" stereotype that has been commonly used to describe numerous Niner signal callers before him.
In other words, Brock has struggled to escape the giant shadow Shanahan casts over all of his subjects. The coach is often dubbed "the quarterback whisperer," as players like Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Darnold, and Mac Jones have all succeeded in the Bay during his tenure. Darnold revitalized his career as a member of the red and gold, while Jones appears to be on the verge of doing the same thing.
Because of Shanahan's competence, the age-old question has plagued Brock Purdy for most of his career: is he good, or is his coach effective at making him look good? It may be a question that won't receive a definitive answer until the tandem splits, but for now, they are likely enjoying their time together as they look forward to the new season.
One thing is certain, though. Until further notice, Brock Purdy will find it difficult to establish himself as an elite quarterback when such a prolific head coach remains at the helm, and Shanahan doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
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