San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is playing at an MVP level and if he keeps this up, and the Niners' success remains adept, the award is likely his.
It's time to put respect on Purdy's name.
When San Francisco needs a big play, No. 13 makes it happen. It was evident in the 49ers' 32-29 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. Purdy kept finding his receivers but glued in on veteran Mike Evans, who's becoming a favorite target for Purdy. Their connection took over the game late and they advanced the ball in pivotal moments.
"Yeah, it was awesome. It was tight coverage and Mike ended up getting around the guy. Brock ended up waiting, took an extra hitch to get it to him and just threw it up in there," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "The way those guys played in the fourth quarter, you could really feel it the way Brock started ripping the ball and just being more aggressive in the fourth. I thought they both kind of took it over and really won that game there at the end for us.”
Purdy didn't just take over against the NFC West division-rival, he's been on a tear to start the season. Through five games, Purdy is the NFL passing touchdown leader with 13. He's thrown for 1,196 yards and completed 69% of his passes.
His two interceptions are the second-lowest in the league among quarterbacks who started five games, behind only Jared Goff, Geno Smith and C.J. Stroud who haven't thrown a pick in 2026.
Purdy is positioned at No. 2 in NFL MVP odds, behind Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen as they switched positions. Last week, Purdy was No. 1 and Allen was No. 2 in the NFL MVP power rankings.
Brock Purdy making plays with his legs, too
Among starting quarterbacks, he's the least sacked play caller, having been taken down in the backfield three times this season. Credit the 49ers' offensive line, but also Purdy's mobility when it comes to escaping the pocket. He's shown that he can be dual threat, eluding pass rushers and advancing on the ground. He's not Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts or Patrick Mahomes, but Purdy can get by with his legs. Purdy is averaging career highs in yards per carry (5.1) and yards per game (25.6).
"I’m healthy, I feel good. I’ve told people this every offseason. I do the normal sprint training and stuff like that and try to stay mobile just because you never know, pockets collapse and there’s times for quarterbacks to go and take 15, 20 yards and stuff. I just want to be ready for those opportunities," Purdy told reporters on Oct. 8 when asked if he planned to run more.
"But, it’s not like ... I watched myself last year and was like, ‘Dude, I need to start running the ball more,’" he added. "I don’t think it was really like that. It was more so just like, just be ready just in case it does happen. I’m a quarterback and I pride myself in getting the guys the ball and allowing them to make the plays. And if I have to, then yeah, I can use my legs."
Brock Purdy finds a way to win
Purdy is doing whatever it takes to win football games, with the 49ers off to a 5-0 start. That shouldn't be a surprise to many. If you've followed Purdy since he was named the starter for San Francisco, all he does is win.
Since becoming a starter in 2022, Purdy has played in 50 regular-season games and has a 35-15 record.
He's already been to a Super Bowl, and is one of the NFL's best underdog stories having been Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft. And well, what has he done since?
Purdy completed 988 of his 1,449 pass attempts (68.2%) for 12,605 yards and 97 touchdowns with a passer rating of 106.4, which all rank first all-time among 49ers quarterbacks in their first 50 career starts.
Purdy's passer rating is also the second-highest by an NFL QB in their first 50 career starts since at least 1970, the year of the AFL-NFL merger. The only player with a higher rating through 50 starts is Mahomes, who had a 109.5 passer rating through his first 50 starts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is an early MVP candidate