The list of Brock Purdy’s statistical accomplishments is long. He set a 49ers single-season franchise record for passing yards. He also led the NFL in yards per attempt, touchdown rate, passer rating and QBR. There are a slew of advanced metrics that point toward his super-successful 2023 campaign, but one stat sticks out above the rest when assessing Purdy’s first full season as a starter.
Perhaps the most important part of Purdy’s 2023 season for San Francisco was that he started all 16 games (and was available for a 17th, but the 49ers rested some starters).
This seems trivial, but given what the 49ers had dealt with under center, having a QB fully healthy for a full season was a massive win. It also showed how much simply playing can help a QB and an offense get in a rhythm.
In 2017 the 49ers had three QBs start at least five games.
In 2018 they used three QBs again, with each starting at least three games.
In 2020 they had three different starting QBs again, with all three starting at least two games.
In 2021 Jimmy Garoppolo started 15 games, but he dealt with injuries all year and even rookie QB Trey Lance got banged up in his first start.
In 2022 it was the disaster that even got Purdy to the starting lineup in the first place with Lance and Garoppolo both going down with season-ending injuries by Week 13.
The last two times the 49ers have had a starting quarterback get through a full season of games healthy (2019 and 2023) they’ve gone to the Super Bowl.
Purdy had to play well and be effective, to be sure, but it wasn’t even a given he’d be available for Week 1 when the team reported for training camp in late July. He wound up returning from offseason elbow surgery in time for camp and then stayed healthy for the whole season.
Whether Purdy replicates his production from 2023 remains to be seen. If he can just be healthy for all 17 games though it gives the 49ers a very good chance to make another deep playoff run.
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