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Was Brock Purdy’s tremendous eight-game run as the 49ers’ starter a flash in the pan? The NFL Players Association doesn’t think so.
Purdy was ranked No. 1 on their list of veteran rising stars for the 2023 season, just ahead of Jets wide receiver and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, and Cowboys fifth-year running back Tony Pollard.
The list is meant to identify “top Rookies and Veterans poised to have breakout seasons, gain fan support and ultimately rank among the top-sellers of all officially licensed player merchandise,” per the NFLPA website.
It’s easy to see why Purdy would land atop this list even with uncertainty clouding his immediate future. All signs point to the QB returning from offseason elbow surgery in time to be the 49ers’ starter for the season opener in Pittsburgh. Even if he’s not ready by then, it appears San Francisco is ready to make him their starter whenever he does return.
A short eight-game sample isn’t really enough to launch a player into the stratosphere of stardom a franchise quarterback typically reaches. However, if Purdy returns and either plays like he did last year or improves, he would continue holding his place as one of the best stories in the NFL and the NFLPA’s projection of increased fan support and Purdy merchandise sold would certainly come to fruition.
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