Brady remembers facing Purdy on 49ers. QB’s first career start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Tom Brady remembers 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s first career start all too well.
Purdy and San Francisco hosted future Pro Football Hall of Fame selection and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, and the 49ers earned a 35-7 victory at Levi’s Stadium.
Before the 49ers’ game with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Brady talked about his memory of Purdy’s big debut as a starter with FOX Sports co-host Kevin Burkhardt.
“Oh, man. Why do you have to bring that up?” Brady told Kevin Burkhardt. “I thought, ‘You know what, it’s his first start… Oh God. We can go in – and [former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo] was injured. We got that guy Purdy. Oh, we have a chance today, [facing] Mr. Irrelevant.
“I sit on the sidelines and say, ‘How does Mr. Irrelevant divide us into pieces?’ and ‘Is our defense that bad?’ And it turns out Brock is just as good; he really is. Total control, just a great player throwing with anticipation. His team believes in him.”
Tom Brady, who was the opponent in Brock Purdy’s first NFL start, talks about his impressions of Mr. Irrelevant, both then and now. pic.twitter.com/23RjCLbevX
— The Comeback NFL (@TheComebackNFL) October 6, 2024
Purdy, who replaced Garoppolo in Week 13 that season after he broke his foot, finished the game 16 of 21 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Brady left his home stretch 34 of 55 for 253 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions and of course the loss.
Since then, Purdy has blossomed and established himself as San Francisco’s long-term signal caller. He led the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII and is currently without star running back Christian McCaffrey this season.
Despite the 49ers’ frustrating loss to the Cardinals, Brady knows what Purdy is capable of and how far he has come since being the 262nd and final overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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