San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is heading to the Super Bowl for the first time. He received support from an unexpected person, Golden State Warriors four-time All-Star Draymond Green.
Green shared his thoughts on Purdy and Super Bowl 58 in a postgame interview with NBC Sports Bay Area. He said, “I think it’s going to be a great game. You’re talking two great teams.”
Draymond Green Supports Brock Purdy
The 49ers have won 21 of the 26 games started by Purdy, who was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Purdy completed 69.4% of his passes with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season and was named the starting quarterback for the NFC Pro Bowl team. He also set a 49ers franchise record with 4,280 passing yards.
Throughout this season, there have been some critical takes on Purdy’s ability and where he ranks in the much-talked-about quarterback levels. There have been some who have given Purdy the dreaded “game manager” title.
Draymond Green said in an interview after a game, “There’s been a lot of Brock Purdy slander over the last couple years, the way he showed up in that second half of the conference championship game.”
With the 49ers down 17 points at halftime, Purdy responded with a huge second half and led San Francisco to the Super Bowl. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 174 yards with a touchdown, along with 49 rush yards, in the second half.
CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson asked 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa about Purdy’s second-half performance, and Bosa said, “I don’t pay attention to the media much, but whoever is talking sh– about Brock Purdy, what do you have now?” Bosa joked. “He’s the best game manager in the league.”
Green Knows Purdy Criticism Could Return
Green acknowledged that Purdy could still be the target of criticism in the future. Green said, “I saw something Stephen A. [Smith] said that if Brock Purdy shows up in the Super Bowl, that’s it; no more question of Brock Purdy.”
Green added, “I know better than that because he can show up in the Super Bowl, and if he start off the season bad, four bad games, they’re gonna be like, ‘He’s a game manager.'”
Green said about the 49ers: “Those guys have been putting it together each and every year. Last year, I thought they were going to make a run at it, but obviously, Brock got hurt in that game [NFC Championship Game]. To see them back healthy and with their team heading back to the Super Bowl, it’s great, and I’m looking forward to it.”
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