San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is knocking on the door of quarterback supremacy. Often considered one of the league's upper-echelon quarterbacks, he is looking to enter a new age in his career—one where he leads his team to the promised land and establishes himself as one of the league's very best.
Here are some reasons (five, to be exact) as to why Niners fans will see his best year yet in 2026.
1. Health
There's no underlying metric to support this, but Purdy is due for some major positive regression in the health department. In four seasons, he has played one season of 16 games or more, and he missed a large chunk of last year due to turf toe, which is more of a freak injury than a chronic one.
His in-pocket style of play doesn't warrant a career that is riddled with injuries, and it is only a matter of time before he puts together a full season of work.
There is every reason to believe that Purdy will play a full 17 games.
2. Underlying numbers
Last season, Purdy put up respectable numbers in his limited action, but there were a few underlying metrics that bode well for the future. The Iowa State product was excellent under pressure. He had the highest pressure-to-sack rate of any quarterback in the NFL.
He was also dialed on third downs. His 67.3-percent completion rate throwing past the sticks on third down was the best in the league as well.
These numbers don't show up on a player's stat sheet on ESPN, but they are meaningful in determining how well a player can handle pressure situations. In other words, Purdy is well-equipped to lead San Francisco to nail-biting wins, whether it be in the regular season or the postseason.
3. Speed
Last year, the 49ers severely lacked explosiveness on offense. They produced massive 10-plus play drives to acquire their points—not because they wanted to, but because they lacked the ability to make the "home run" play.
Now with the second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling ready to make an impact, the Niners could potentially space out the field for their quarterback. If teams don't respect Stribling's speed, we could see a few more home-run passes from the gunslinger than in years past.
4. New toys
Along with Stribling, the Niners boast a new X-receiver. Bonafide star Mike Evans signed with San Francisco this offseason and represents the Niners' best chance at producing a 1,000-plus yard wide receiver since Brandon Aiyuk back in 2023.
And yes, Purdy led his team to the Super Bowl that year.
There is every reason to believe Purdy should have yet another 4,000-plus yard passing season with this revamped wide receiver room. If George Kittle can stay healthy as well, the quarterback should have more weapons than he has ever had before.
5. SOS
Once again, Kyle Shanahan's team find itself with one of the weakest schedules in the league. Last year, they were unable to take full advantage of their strength of schedule due to a barrage of injuries. If all goes well this season, though, Purdy should have no issue picking apart opposing secondaries.
Aside from their tough divisional schedule, San Francisco has dates with the Dolphins, Commanders, Falcons, Raiders, Cowboys, Vikings, and Giants, all of which were sub-.500 teams last year. With Shanahan's zone run scheme, the offense excels in a positive game script.
Purdy should see plenty of those and will likely reap all the benefits.
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