Brady recalls facing Purdy in 49ers QB’s first career start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Tom Brady remembers 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s first career start all too well.

Purdy and San Francisco hosted the future Pro Football Hall of Fame selection and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, and the 49ers cruised to a 35-7 victory at Levi’s Stadium.

Ahead of the 49ers’ matchup with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Brady detailed his recollection of Purdy’s big-time debut as a starter with FOX Sports co-host Kevin Burkhardt.

“Oh, man. Why do you got to bring that up?” Brady told Kevin Burkhardt. “I thought, ‘You know what, it’s his first start … Oh, God. We get to go in — and [former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo] got hurt — We got this guy Purdy. Oh, we got a shot today, [facing] Mr. Irrelevant.

“I’m sitting on the sideline like, ‘How is Mr. Irrelevant carving us up?’ and ‘Is our defense that bad?’ And it turns out that Brock is just that good; he really is. Total command, just an awesome player throwing with anticipation. His team believes in him.”

Purdy, who replaced Garoppolo in Week 13 that season after he broke his foot, finished the game 16-of-21 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Brady left his home region 34 of 55 for 253 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions and, of course, the loss.

Since then, Purdy has flourished and established himself as San Francisco’s long-term signal-caller. He led the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII and currently is making do this season without star running back Christian McCaffrey.

Despite the 49ers’ frustrating loss to the Cardinals, Brady knows what Purdy is capable of and how far he has come since being the 262nd and final overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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