49ers QB Brock Purdy Earns Elite Grades, Locker Room Confidence

Teammate Fred Warner praises Purdy's situational football skills as analytics back up his status as a top NFL starter.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:55am by Ben Kaplan

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has emerged as one of the league's most reliable starters, earning high marks from analytics and the trust of his veteran teammates. Linebacker Fred Warner highlighted Purdy's elite-level grasp of situational football, while independent evaluation from PFF ranked the 49ers 25th in quarterback urgency, signaling stability at the position. Over the past three seasons, Purdy's 90.6 overall PFF grade ties him for eighth in the NFL alongside Patrick Mahomes, reflecting his efficiency and low rate of costly mistakes.

Why it matters

The 49ers have long searched for a consistent quarterback to lead them back to the Super Bowl, and Purdy's development suggests they may have finally found their answer. His strong performance and analytics-backed status as a top starter provide optimism that the 49ers can contend for a championship with Purdy under center.

The details

Brock Purdy was named the 49ers' starting quarterback in 2022 and has already taken the team deep into the playoffs, reaching both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. While the team has yet to capture the Lombardi Trophy, Purdy's development curve suggests further progress is still possible. Teammate Fred Warner highlighted Purdy's elite grasp of situational football, and independent evaluation from PFF ranked the 49ers 25th in quarterback urgency, signaling stability at the position. Over the past three seasons, Purdy's 90.6 overall PFF grade ties him for eighth in the NFL alongside Patrick Mahomes, reflecting his efficiency and low rate of costly mistakes.

  • Purdy was named the 49ers' starting quarterback in 2022.
  • Purdy has reached the conference championship and Super Bowl in his young career.
  • Over the past three seasons, Purdy has posted a 90.6 overall PFF grade, tying him for eighth in the NFL.

The players

Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback, who has emerged as one of the league's most reliable starters.

Fred Warner

A veteran linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers who has praised Purdy's elite grasp of situational football.

Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs' star quarterback, whose level of play Purdy's analytics-backed performance has matched over the past three seasons.

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What they’re saying

“He does everything at an elite level, in my opinion. You really saw him come to life. I think he played the best ball out of any team quarterback in the league down the stretch. I'm happy he's on my team. He definitely is gonna get us a Bowl.”

— Fred Warner, Linebacker (Amon-Ra St. Brown's podcast)

What’s next

The 49ers will look to Purdy to continue his strong play and lead the team to a Super Bowl championship in the upcoming season.

The takeaway

Brock Purdy's emergence as a top-tier NFL quarterback provides the 49ers with much-needed stability and optimism at the position, as the team looks to finally capture the Lombardi Trophy that has eluded them for decades.