Drew Brees Evaluates Brock Purdy on The Herd

San Francisco 49ers Sit at 5-0 Ahead of Week 6 Matchup

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is commanding attention across the league with MVP-level play, leading his team to an undefeated 5-0 record through five weeks of the NFL season. The 49ers secured a hard-fought 32-29 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, cementing their status as one of just three undefeated teams remaining in the league. Purdy has completed 69.0% of his passes for 1,196 yards, throwing a league-leading 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions.

NFL legend and Hall of Famer Drew Brees recently appeared on The Herd With Colin Cowherd to discuss Purdy’s rise since entering the league as a seventh-round rookie in 2022. When host Colin Cowherd asked if he knew instantly that Purdy would be great, Brees offered a measured assessment of the young quarterback’s trajectory.

I don’t know if instantly. But if you go back and just look at his college attributes, the guy started 51 games at Iowa State. Just about every time they stepped onto the field they were the underdogs.

Brees emphasized that Purdy’s formative years at the collegiate level forged a competitive edge that translates directly to the professional stage. According to Brees, playing extensively as an underdog forced Purdy to develop resilience and tactical awareness.

So for all those reasons, this guy has played with a chip on his shoulder his entire career and he’s had to figure out ways to win. He’s wired himself, trained himself, to play that way.

Scheme Fit and Fundamentals Drive 49ers Success

Beyond competitive drive, Brees pointed to the structural advantages of the system with Shanahan and Purdy’s mechanical discipline as primary drivers of his current output. Brees highlighted how the system maximizes the quarterback’s natural abilities.

“Now all of a sudden you put a really smart guy into a system with Shanahan, where all of a sudden he’s got all these weapons around him. So much of that offense is around timing and rhythm. He plays with such a great base. He’s got great fundamentals. He gets the ball out quickly. He works his way through a progression well. He’s got all these traits that you would want for a quarterback, especially in that offense.”

The synergy between Purdy’s quick release and San Francisco’s roster depth has produced dominant offensive displays during the opening month of the campaign. The 49ers now turn their attention to a Monday night clash against the Washington Commanders.