On Sunday night, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is hoping to do something no "Mr. Irrelevant" has done in NFL history: hold up the Lombardi Trophy. Just 652 days ago, Purdy was where he is right now, in Las Vegas, but instead of preparing for the Super Bowl, he was preparing to hear his name called in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He had to wait until the very last selection, No. 262, and his journey from that final pick to Super Bowl starter has not been easy. He's gone from third-string quarterback to the starter last season, dealing with injuries and the outside noise along the way. But, it has all cumulated to the biggest moment of his career.
As he prepared to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, there was one thing that kept getting in his way. Feeling the need to be perfect was something that was "eating at him" ... until he realized that perfection is not actually needed in order to come away with the victory Sunday night, CBS Sports' Evan Washburn reported.
Brock Purdy got some lessons this week by watching some of Tom Brady's playoff and Super Bowl performances. @EvanWashburn with the latest on San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/4tE3afRb1k
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 11, 2024
Purdy said he came to the realization that he does not have to be perfect in the game for the 49ers to win, and it altered his attitude and approach to the matchup. He came to this realization by watching some of Tom Brady's playoff and Super Bowl performances.
The second-year player said while watching Brady in big games, he saw No. 12 was not a "superhero" for four quarters, but delivered in the crucial moments and during the crucial drive. This "ah-ha" moment has given Purdy "peace" and "confidence" as he heads into the biggest game of his career.
Brady has more Super Bowl rings than any quarterback in NFL history with seven, so he is not a bad person to look to for insight. The "GOAT" was also a low draft pick, waiting until the sixth round (No. 199 overall) before his name would be called. And like Purdy, he got the chance to take the field due to injuries to quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart.
The Chiefs and 49ers will face off at Allegiant Stadium at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcasted on CBS, with a family-friendly stream on Nickelodeon and streaming on Paramount+.
