Brock Purdy Bio
Brock Richard Purdy (born December 27, 1999) is an American professional football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones and was selected by the 49ers with the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, becoming that year’s Mr. Irrelevant. Purdy began his rookie season in the NFL as the third-string quarterback but took the starting role following injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. Winning all five regular-season games that he started, Purdy played a key role in the 49ers’ ten-game winning streak, securing a division title and an NFC Championship Game appearance. Purdy continued as the 49ers’ starting quarterback in the 2023 season, where he led them to a repeat division title and led the league in multiple passing categories before an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII.
Early Life and Background
Brock Purdy was born on December 27, 1999, in Queen Creek, Arizona. He played high school football for Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona. Purdy is the middle child of Shawn and Carrie Purdy. His father was a Minor League Baseball player for eight seasons. Purdy’s older sister, Whittney, played softball at Southeastern University, while his younger brother, Chubba, later became the starting quarterback at Perry High School before being recruited to Florida State University as a dual-threat quarterback. As a youth, Purdy played quarterback in a flag football league, which helped develop his quick decision-making skills.
Purdy started his varsity football career during the 2015 season as a sophomore for the newly opened Perry High School. He established himself as a football power in Arizona, leading Perry to the 6A Division AIA State Championship game in both 2016 and 2017. He achieved a 27–13 record at Perry and was named Gatorade’s Football Player of the Year and The Arizona Republic’s high-school player of the year. Purdy was considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and signed his letter of intent to commit to Iowa State University on February 7, 2018.
Path to American Football
Brock Purdy entered his freshman year at Iowa State University in 2018 as the third string behind Kyle Kempt and Zeb Noland. He became the starter after Kempt was injured and Noland was ineffective. Purdy started eight games that season, completing 146-of-220 passes for 2,250 yards, 16 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, achieving a career-best passer rating of 169.9. He also rushed for 308 yards and five touchdowns.
During his sophomore season in 2019, Purdy started all 13 games, leading the Cyclones to a 7–6 record. He passed for a school-record 3,982 yards and broke the record for total touchdowns with 27. In his junior year, Purdy led the Cyclones to a 9–3 record, the best in program history, and finished with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a shutout victory over Kansas State. He ended his college career as a three-time All-Big 12 quarterback, holding 32 school records, including career pass attempts, completions, percentage, yards, and both passing and total touchdowns.
Brock Purdy Career
Early Career (2022)
The San Francisco 49ers selected Brock Purdy with the final pick (262nd overall) of the 2022 NFL draft, making him that year’s Mr. Irrelevant. Initially, he was the third-string quarterback behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. However, after injuries to both quarterbacks, Purdy stepped in as the starter. He made his NFL debut in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers, completing a knee to close out the game. Purdy’s first significant performance came in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins, where he completed 25-of-37 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to throw a touchdown pass in a regular season game.
Purdy finished the regular season with a remarkable record of 5–0 as a starter, throwing for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He led the 49ers to the playoffs, where he became the first rookie quarterback to start and win a playoff game, completing 18-of-30 passes for 332 yards and four total touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks. He continued to break records, becoming the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games in a single season.
Breakthrough (2023)
In the 2023 season, Brock Purdy was named the starting quarterback and continued to excel. He led the 49ers to a 30–7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener, completing 19-of-29 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Purdy set multiple records, including being the first quarterback in NFL history to win his first six career regular season starts while throwing at least two touchdown passes in each game.
Throughout the season, Purdy maintained impressive statistics, including a career-high passer rating of 148.9 in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also achieved a perfect passer rating of 158.3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the first 49ers quarterback to do so since Joe Montana. Purdy’s performance earned him recognition as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week multiple times, and he led the league in passer rating, total quarterback rating, and yards gained per attempt.
Notable Works and Milestones
Brock Purdy’s signature work includes leading the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2023 and became the NFL passer rating leader in the same year. His achievements in college and the NFL have established him as a prominent figure in American football.
Brock Purdy Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Brock Purdy has received several nominations, including recognition for his outstanding performance in college and professional football.
Brock Purdy Awards Won
Brock Purdy has won multiple awards, including the Pro Bowl selection in 2023 and the NFL passer rating leader in 2023. He was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022 and received First-team All-Big 12 honors in 2020 and 2021.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Bowl | 1 | 2023 |
| NFL passer rating leader | 1 | 2023 |
| PFWA All-Rookie Team | 1 | 2022 |
| First-team All-Big 12 | 2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Second-team All-Big 12 | 1 | 2019 |
Brock Purdy Family
Brock Purdy is married to Jenna Brandt, and they have one child together. His family background includes his parents, Shawn and Carrie Purdy, and his siblings, Whittney and Chubba.
Personal Life
Brock Purdy is a devout Christian and openly discusses his faith, which plays a significant role in his life. He has stated that his favorite team as a youth was the Miami Dolphins, and he wears number 13 in honor of Dan Marino. Purdy has been nicknamed “Mr. Relevant” due to his status as a starter despite being the last pick in the draft. He has lived with teammates during his early NFL career and continues to be a prominent figure in the league.
