Brock Purdy ranks second in NFL MVP odds behind Josh Allen entering his 50th career start and a showdown in Week 5 at the defending Super Bowl champions. He's been more embraced as an MVP contender in 2026 while elevating an aging and injury-prone supporting cast to a 4-0 record. It was a different story during his surprise MVP campaign in 2023, where some weaponized the term "game manager" against him.
His style of play in Kyle Shanahan's system also continues to win over critics. But Sunday's game in Seattle represents a big litmus test for Purdy's MVP and superstar quarterback credentials. Purdy has been at the controls of the most efficient offense in the league this year, and he's been phenomenal himself, with a completion rate of 70%, an average of 8.9 yards per attempt, 12 total touchdowns, one turnover, and no sacks.
It's about the best combination of clean football and playmaking you could dream up. It all adds up to the highest per dropback (0.53) by any quarterback through four games since Tom Brady's historic 2007 season. Purdy is also the first quarterback all-time with one or fewer combined sacks, fumbles and interceptions during a 4-0 start.
He sports the lowest negative play rate (0.8%) among quarterbacks through four games on record. The best part, the 49ers have been the most injured team in football this season, racking up the most games missed and IR stints in the NFL up to this point. Most of those have been on defense, but this offense could be humming even more if they had a healthy WR room, which currently has Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk on injured reserve.
This sets the stage for an early MVP statement game vs. the defending champions. A win and the discourse will anoint Purdy the early-season MVP, carrying a beat-up team to a 5-0 start with wins over the Rams, Broncos, and Seahawks, three conference finalists from a year ago. A loss means the detractors will crawl out from underneath their rocks and be quick to point out that Purdy's early-season success came vs. the jetlagged Rams, Dolphins, Cardinals, and a Broncos team without its top two cornerbacks.
They'll also sprinkle in the term "YAC merchant" referring to the house calls Deebo Samuel and George Kittle have made off short passes in the past two weeks. Purdy doesn't have to deal with that fake noise but there is the reality that he and the 49ers have struggled mightily with high stakes against Mike Macdonald's defense. Purdy is 2-4 in his career vs.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
