Haters of Brock Purdy, 49ers creep out of shadows amid Super Bowl loss

It seems as if Brock Purdy and the 49ers' loss in Super Bowl 58 opened up a window for critics to spew vitriol of any kind.

Winning a Super Bowl quiets a lot of doubters. Even those who remain openly critical of a Super Bowl winner have words that remain hollow.

For Super Bowl losers, though. Criticisms echo long and loud, and it doesn't matter how unfounded they are.

Just ask the losers of Super Bowl 58, the San Francisco 49ers, who are finding this out the hard way.

Quarterback Brock Purdy, who experienced plenty of vitriol despite what was a historic season for the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, had a chance to fully silence his doubters by beating quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on the biggest of stages.

While Purdy didn't lose the game, arguably playing well enough to have won it, the fact he and the Niners ultimately lost won't do Mr. Relevant any favors as far as overcoming the stigma of being a last-drafted player identified as a mere "game manager."

Understandably, those criticisms of both Purdy and the 49ers are coming out in full force right after what went down in Super Bowl 58.

Brock Purdy, 49ers receive plenty of LOLs and vitriol after Super Bowl loss

Warning, San Francisco fans. The following critiques of Purdy and the 49ers are going to be painful to work through.

If the Niners had won, this wouldn't have been the case. But it is.

Among the first to criticize Purdy in contrast to Mahomes was veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who took a not-so-subtle jab at the former being a "game manager:"

True, there were opportunities for Purdy to put up touchdowns late in the game instead of helping the Niners secure field goals.

So, unfortunately, it's hard to argue with Hilton on that one.

Yet some argued back with New York Jets defensive back Sauce Gardner, who took shots at San Francisco after the big game, too:

Cornerback Charvarius Ward took exception in a since-deleted tweet, which pointed out how Gang Green hasn't exactly sniffed a postseason berth in a long, long time. Rookie safety Ji'Ayir Brown was a little more diplomatic in his clap-back but nevertheless disappointed.

There are some things, though, that can't warrant a clap-back at all.

Then, there'll be the talking heads who have rarely (if ever) shared love of Purdy. Shannon Sharpe, Cam Newton, Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd will certainly be ones to watch in the following days and weeks.

Regardless of how well-founded or inaccurate those takes are, Purdy and the 49ers could have shut them all down with a Super Bowl win. Had they done so, the Newtons, Sharpes and Wrights of the world would have been awfully quiet the day after the Niners were crowned champions.

That didn't happen, though, and both Purdy and San Francisco will have to wear it.

As tough as that may be.

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