Purdy's MVP-Caliber Start
Kyle Shanahan Compares Brock Purdy to Former MVP Matt Ryan After 49ers' Hot Start
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Key Points
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Purdy sealed the Arizona win with a four-dropback drive while San Francisco was leading by two; it included a 20-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle with 90 seconds left, putting the 49ers ahead by nine.
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Purdy completed 72.3% of his passes and averaged 9.5 yards per attempt over the first three games. He also led NFC quarterbacks with nine touchdown passes and led the NFL with a 133.1 passer rating.
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San Francisco’s three-game streak without allowing a sack set a new franchise record, with the coverage crediting both Purdy’s quick decisions and mobility and the contributions of the offensive line and skill-position players.
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Purdy’s route to the starting job began after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo pushed him into the lineup in 2022. He won all five of his starts that season and led San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game; the team reached the Super Bowl the following year.
The San Francisco 49ers are 3-0 to start the 2026 season, with quarterback Brock Purdy playing at an MVP-caliber level. Through three games, Purdy has thrown for 789 yards and nine touchdowns against just one interception, while averaging 9.5 yards per attempt and posting a 133.1 passer rating—the best in the NFL. Audacy reports that analyst Dan Orlovsky compared Purdy's play to Tom Brady, highlighting his exceptional field vision and decision-making.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he has felt comparable confidence in Purdy to what he experienced with former MVP Matt Ryan in 2016 and Matt Schaub earlier in his career. After a 36-30 win over Arizona last week, Purdy sealed the victory with a four-play drive that included a 20-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle with 90 seconds left. The 49ers have also set a new franchise record by not allowing a sack through three games.
Purdy's Historic Start Breaks NFL Records
Purdy's opening three games rank among the best starts by any quarterback in recent NFL history. 49ers Webzone notes that ESPN analysts have debated whether Purdy is currently the league's best quarterback. His 72.3% completion rate and nine touchdown passes lead the NFC, while his 133.1 passer rating is the highest in the entire NFL through week three.
The 49ers as a team are averaging nearly 33 points per game, one of the most explosive offenses in football. Purdy's quick decision-making and mobility have been critical to the team's success, helping San Francisco achieve the unprecedented feat of going three games without surrendering a sack.
Shanahan's Confidence Mirrors His Best Seasons
Kyle Shanahan rarely offers public comparisons between quarterbacks, but after the Arizona win, he made a striking one. The coach said his confidence in Purdy matches what he felt with Matt Ryan during Atlanta's explosive 2016 season, when Ryan threw 38 touchdown passes. Shanahan also referenced Matt Schaub, another quarterback he had developed confidence in during his earlier coaching career.
George Kittle, Purdy's top target, has echoed Shanahan's assessment. The tight end praised the trust and timing between coach and quarterback, which shows in clutch moments like the game-sealing drive against Arizona. That kind of rapport often separates great QB-coach duos from merely good ones.
The Unlikely Road to an MVP-Caliber Season
Purdy's path to stardom came by accident. In 2022, injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo thrust him into the lineup as an undrafted free agent. He won all five starts that season and led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. The following year, San Francisco reached the Super Bowl, establishing Purdy as a winner despite unconventional circumstances.
Now, in his fourth year with the franchise, Purdy appears to have grown into the role Shanahan always envisioned. Yahoo Sports notes that ESPN analysts have called Purdy's play reminiscent of Brady's peak years in New England. If this 3-0 start continues, the 49ers could be looking at a deep playoff run with one of the league's most electrifying offenses.
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