Brock Purdy making strong case as dark-horse NFL…
SANTA CLARA — Fred Warner will get credit for being the first one to say it.
If Brock Purdy and the 49ers keep this up, he received’t be the last.
“MVP Brock Purdy” the linebacker said to start his news convention following the Niners’ 35-13 thrashing of the Dolphins on Sunday to improve to an emphatic 2-0.
To call Purdy’s efficiency in the win MVP-caliber may be promoting it short.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates after an NFL soccer sport against the Miami Dolphins in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
A few choose nuggets that stand out from Purdy’s near-perfect Sunday:
Including his dashing landing, Purdy was accountable for more scoring performs (three) than incompletions (two). In 25 performs from scrimmage, Purdy generated 25.7 whole anticipated factors added, one of the NFL’s most environment friendly video games on report.
Completing 20 of 22 makes an attempt for 287 yards and two TDs through the air, Purdy put on the eighth-best quarterbacking show in NFL historical past, according to QBR, the proprietary ESPN metric. It grades QBs on a 0-100 scale, and Purdy scored a 99.7.
There has never been a 100 QBR; Purdy was on tempo up until his closing throw.
A day later, coach Kyle Shanahan had gotten a probability to review the tape.
It was just as spectacular as it was in real time.
“He was almost flawless,” Shanahan marveled. “His last play was probably his only miss, on the intentional grounding. Without that, he was pretty much perfect. He had an unbelievable game.”
Four years earlier, Purdy launched himself to the league against the same foe and was so spectacular from the get-go that Shanahan said it may be tough to consider how he’s grown.
Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers seems to be on after his group’s 35-13 win against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Getty Images
But through two weeks this season, Purdy has shown that while he will be the excellent quarterback for Shanahan’s offensive system, he’s not a system quarterback.
He’s a weapon unto himself. A playmaker in his own proper. A real, authentic MVP candidate.
“We’re starting to witness Brock’s prime, and I think it’s going to be a sight to behold,” left sort out Trent Williams said. “I’ve always loved Brock, but I think he’s starting to get his respect now.”
Really, the only quarterbacks worthy of being in the dialog with Purdy after two weeks already have {hardware}: the Bills’ Josh Allen and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. They’re the only others to lead their groups to undefeated begins to the season and seemed as good getting them there.
Josh Allen (17) of the Buffalo Bills calls a play against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter of a sport, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Getty Images
Brock Purdy: 45-56 (80.4%*), 492 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT, 0 sacks, 94.9 QBR*, 125.6 passer score
Josh Allen: 40-60 (66.7%), 582 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT, 4 sacks, 86.4 QBR, 125.8 passer score
Patrick Mahomes: 47-74 (63.5%), 566 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 70.4 QBR, 103.8 passer score
*= could be NFL report
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs for a first down as Indianapolis Colts security Hunter Wohler (30) defends during extra time of an NFL soccer sport Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. AP Photo/Colin E. Braley
The NFL MVP is mainly the best QB on a playoff group — the last time a participant at any other place received it was Adrian Peterson in 2012 — and Purdy has as strong an argument as anybody else.
He’s accomplished 80.4% of his 56 move makes an attempt so far, which might set an NFL report for a season. And they’ve been more than just dinks and dunks.
Half of Purdy’s 20 completions against the Dolphins traveled 10 or more yards in the air, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He was the first QB with a excellent downfield passing sport since Carson Wentz in 2021. It wasn’t a one-off, either.
Purdy has arguably been the best deep-ball passer since he established himself in the league. He’s led all NFL quarterbacks with at least 250 makes an attempt in downfield completion share every season since 2023. The distinction this 12 months is he’s doing more of it himself.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) passes against the Miami Dolphins in the second half at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Sunday, September 20, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
Just look at his most spectacular throw against the Dolphins, the 27-yard strike to Mike Evans that put them on the verge of going up 35-6 in the third quarter. At first, the deke Purdy put on a defender in the backfield and the tight window he pierced with the throw stood out.
“If it wouldn’t have been a perfect ball, it would have been an interception because the guy was looking to undercut it,” Shanahan said. “He just faded it over the top of him. It was a dime.”
Upon additional review, it was an even deeper show of Purdy’s mastery of the offense and his potential to choose aside opposing defenses. The play was drawn up to go to Deebo Samuel beneath; Purdy noticed an alternative for a larger gain and made it occur.
He did the same factor a week earlier on his 39-yard landing to Demarcus Robison.
“Demarcus is not in the read on that play,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “He’s what we call an alert. For Brock to be tapped into that, understanding the 2% chance that it’s actually going to open up and have the confidence to step into it and rip it …”
Tight end George Kittle interjected.
“It’s pretty sick because me and Juice are alerts a lot ,and we don’t get the ball,” he said. “So the fact that he’s starting to see alerts, that’s good for me and Juice.”
Brock Purdy (13) of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his dashing landing against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter of a sport at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. Getty Images
Good for the 49ers; dangerous for the remainder of the NFL.
The fact is, Purdy is taking command of the Niners’ offense like he never has in the past. And while Shanahan is still scheming up the best methods to get the ball in the fingers of gamers including Kittle and Christian McCaffrey, he’s doing it with a receiver room that is in tatters.
That’s not system quarterback stuff. That’s MVP stuff.
“For him to be operating the offense the way he is right now, it doesn’t matter who the other pieces are,” Warner said. “As long as Brock’s the one being the point guard, I know we’re good.”
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