Brock Purdy has had one of the more unique meteoric rises the NFL has ever seen — going from the last pick in 2022 to being in hot pursuit of the 2023 Most Valuable Player award.
In the process, Purdy has spearheaded two postseason runs with the San Francisco 49ers. But how has pick No. 262 in the 2022 NFL Draft fared in January?
Brock Purdy’s Playoff Record and Notable Marks
Purdy is carrying a 2-1 overall playoff record into Levi’s Stadium on Saturday. The seventh-round pick already boasts some rare feats not only inside the 49ers’ facility but across the league when looking at his postseason work.
For starters, Purdy became the first rookie QB in franchise history to lead San Francisco into the NFC Championship Game. Franchise legend and Niners draft pick Joe Montana needed three seasons to get the Niners to contend for the conference title. One more 49ers legend and 1957 NFL Draft selection, John Brodie, didn’t see the playoffs until 1970.
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From 1992 to 2021, any 49ers NFC title game run was spearheaded by a non-rookie starter: Steve Young, Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, and Jimmy Garoppolo. Two of the four were free-agent additions. Kaepernick was in his second season and the backup to the 2005 top overall pick, Smith.
Purdy also joined this list last season: He became one of only five rookie QBs to start in a conference title game. The last to pull off that feat was Mark Sanchez in 2009 while with the New York Jets.
How Did Purdy Fare in All Three Playoff Games?
Purdy started fast in his playoff debut. San Francisco fans, though, recall how his first playoff taste ended. Here’s a look back at Purdy’s playoff production:
- Wild Card win over the Seattle Seahawks: Purdy went 18 of 30 for an impressive 332 yards and tossed three touchdowns in the 41-23 romp of the 49ers’ NFC West rival.
- Divisional Round victory over the Dallas Cowboys: Purdy may have had tamer results in looking at his yards (214) and how Dallas kept his arm out of the end zone. However, he improved his completion percentage to 65.5 and went 19 of 29 in the 19-12 win.
- NFC Championship Game loss versus the Philadelphia Eagles: Here’s what’s surprising about Purdy’s NFC title game performance — he completed 100% of his throws. The downside, though, was that he was limited to just four passes after tearing his UCL in his throwing elbow in the 31-7 lopsided defeat at the hands of the Eagles.
Purdy now has a chance to improve his record to 3-1 in the postseason with the Green Bay Packers heading to town. This is the 10th time both iconic franchises — which have multiple Super Bowl wins between them — will face each other in the playoffs.
However, Purdy and the 49ers are the ones with the momentum on their side. Not only did the Niners win the last Divisional Round showdown with Green Bay back in the 2021 season playoffs, but the 49ers have claimed the last four playoff wins in this postseason series. That also includes the 37-20 rout in the NFC Championship Game in the 2019 postseason at Levi’s Stadium.
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