Former NFL player wants you to root for 49ers QB Brock Purdy (and we do, too)

It's easy to root for an underdog, and that's who Brock Purdy is. And this former NFL player wants to remind you to root for Purdy, too.

There are few things better in sports than an underdog pulling off the improbable.

Perhaps you've seen Disney's hit movie from the mid-2000s, Miracle, which described the true-life 1980 US Men's Olympic hockey team that beat the Soviet Union and won the gold medal shortly thereafter. It was arguably the biggest underdog story of all time.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy isn't quite on the level of the "Miracle on Ice," but there's always a chance for legendary broadcaster Al Michaels to give Purdy an epic sound byte at some point, too.

It doesn't change the fact Purdy is a bit of a miracle in his own right.

By now, the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft -- they call him "Mr. Irrelevant," in case you didn't know -- has carved out a great storyline that was cemented during his meteoric rise at the helm of the Niners offense down the stretch last season and into the playoffs.

Read More: What is Mr. Irrelevant? Name and player history of final NFL Draft pick

Purdy's success was so rapid and unexpected that he effectively catapulted himself ahead of San Francisco's presumed starter in 2023, Trey Lance, on the depth chart.

Regardless of what fans feel about Lance and the still-awkward quarterbacking situation the 49ers have, it's impossible not to root for Purdy moving forward.

And that's what one former NFL defensive back wants you to do.

Jason McCourty picks 49ers QB Brock Purdy as a player to root for in 2023

Now working for NFL Network as an analyst, former pro Jason McCourty broke down the one player from each team for whom fans should root this upcoming season.

No surprise here, but McCourty's pick for the Niners was Purdy:

"Who didn't love watching Mr. Irrelevant help take the 49ers deep in the playoffs? From the family moments to defeating the G.O.A.T. [Tom Brady] in Santa Clara to winning a pair of playoff games, it was quite a story. But the ill-fated struggle through a crippling elbow injury in the NFC title game loss was such a letdown for him, the team and the 49ers Faithful. GM John Lynch said Purdy "has earned the right" to head into camp as QB1; I'm hoping he'll pick up right where he left off and help San Francisco win a lot more games in 2023. "

Read More: Brock Purdy jokingly admits he's trying to throw left-handed

Of course, the added caveat of pulling for Purdy is that he's working his way back from injury, the torn UCL he suffered in the NFC Championship game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last January. While coming back from that won't likely get Purdy too many Comeback Player of the Year award votes, it does add a little bit of extra "spice" to the mix.

Either way, Purdy's story is one of the underdog, and that's always an easy story to root for when looking at any sports-related context.

Plus, if Purdy does well, it's likely the 49ers are doing well, too.