His nickname in the NFL may not justify the performance Brock Purdy put on this week against the Cardinals. With a 10-point lead over his team, Purdy completed 14 of 27 passes for 188 yards. Even his 4-yard touchdown pass to TE George Kittle was the first choice as seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady challenged the 49ers QB title.

When Brady called the Week 5 games as host, he expressed his thoughts on Purdy leading the 49ers team: “That’s me I sit on the sidelines and ask myself: How is Mr. Irrelevant dividing us? Is our defense that bad? It turns out Brock is just that good.” Although Brady may have been referring to the last time they met when he was playing his final season with the Bucs. He fondly remembers how Purdy didn’t justify the title he won upon entering the NFL.

However, this isn’t the first time Brady has decided to praise the 49ers QB as he had similar thoughts last season. Returning to the NFC Championship duel against the Lions in the 2023 season, Purdy led the 49ers to a 34-31 win and caught the attention of the players “GOAT.” His thoughts on Let’s Go! Podcast, Brady explained, “Good job done. Yesterday I thought he played so well in the second half. He made some big plays with his feet and moved the ball down the field and I thought he led the team to a great win. I think he did a great job.”

Although Brady praised Purdy for his second half performance, the 49ers QB didn’t have a great first half. He managed to pass for just 93 yards while adding two interceptions to his tally. But he was a completely different breed the next half, as he added 174 yards to his total while throwing a touchdown. Even though the 49ers failed to secure the Super Bowl against the Chiefs last season, they got Mr. Irrelevant to do things no one would have predicted.

Brock Purdy talks about his NFL journey so far

In the first 25 games he started for the 49ers, Purdy posted a sensational 112.6 passer rating. Even his 19-6 record can excite anyone who supports the 49ers this season. When it came to speaking openly about his performances, Mr. Irrelevant shared: “The challenge for me now is, man, how do I continue to maintain the mentality of having that chip on my shoulder and playing every down in the game for four quarters?”

After entering the NFL as the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy enjoyed his best games as a starter last season. After leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl game, Purdy finished with a passer rating of 113 while averaging 9.6 yards per pass. His 4,280 yards were a record for the 49ers, who didn’t have a player of his caliber for many seasons.

Even this season, Purdy has recorded 1,182 passing yards while producing 9.3 yards per pass attempt. Will Brady be able to continue his strong start to his NFL career as he praised the QB? For now, it appears he’s thriving in the role he earned in the Bay Area.