EXCLUSIVE
Brock Purdy reveals the mindset secret behind his transformation from ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ to MVP candidate
Brock Purdy has been on quite the journey since being selected with the 262nd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Purdy was given the unenviable moniker of "Mr. Irrelevant" upon entering the NFL - handed out to those picked dead last in the draft due to the virtual certainty of them going on to have an unremarkable career.
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But this season the San Francisco 49ers quarterback has very much become "Mr. Relevant" after an MVP-calibre campaign has seen the Niners wrap up the NFC's top seed.
In the process, the 24-year-old has etched himself into the history books.
Purdy's 4,280 passing yards so far this season are the most in 49ers history, having surpassed the previous franchise high set by Jeff Garcia in 2000.
The signal caller's 31 touchdowns are also the most since Garcia registered 32 in 2001.
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He has also recorded eight games with a passer rating of 120 or higher, tied for the second-most in a season in NFL history.
Quite simply, Purdy is doing things not usually associated with a "Mr. Irrelevant".
His transformation from plucky Iowa State product - once labelled "not a very good athlete" with a "limited arm" - to one of the most deadly passers in pro football has been remarkable to behold.
And for Purdy, his ascendancy boils down to one thing - confidence.
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Many a young QB would be intimidated stepping into a locker room full of NFL veterans like Jimmy Garoppolo and multiple Pro Bowl stars including Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey.
But not Purdy, who believes the secret to his success stems from unequivocally being himself and always remaining confident in his abilities.
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"I was myself right when I got in," he exclusively told talkSPORT. "I wasn't trying to be somebody else or anything like that.
"From the get-go when you're in the NFL you have to believe in yourself.
"You gotta have confidence that you have what it takes to play at this level and so that was my mindset right when I got in.
"And sure enough we were able to win some games and the confidence just kept building and getting bigger from there."
According to the man himself, the confidence to go from "Mr. Irrelevant" to QB1 started with his experiences in college.
Speaking about how his mindset has developed over the years, Purdy added, "I feel like all those years [in college] sort of added up and once I got my opportunity here it wasn't like I had to jump in and act like I'm confident - I just jumped right in.
"I was like, OK, what's the goal here - we're trying to win, we're trying to get a first down on this play, whatever.
"I'm just gonna go in and rip off a play in the huddle and tell the guys what we're trying to do."
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Purdy's self belief was evident throughout his rookie season. In a regular season win over the Miami Dolphins, the Arizona native became the first "Mr. Irrelevant'" to throw a touchdown pass in a regular season game.
Following an injury to previous starting quarterback Jimmy G, Purdy was elevated to QB1 for the rest of his debut campaign where he went 5-0 as a starter and helped San Francisco to the NFC Championship.
This season he has gone up another level, registering 4,280 passing yards, 31 TDs, 11 interceptions and a 113.0 passer rating.
The NFC West and a first round bye were already secured heading into the regular season finale against the Rams, which Brock sat out.
While they're not saying it outwardly, it's clear both Purdy and the 49ers organisation have their eyes on a bigger prize this season - chiefly, a trip to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February.
If the 49ers do go all the way this year, Purdy could become only the second ever "Mr.Irrelevant" - after Ryan Succop - to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a starter.
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A lot needs to happen between now and then for that to happen, but what's already been a remarkable season for Purdy could well become a fairy-tale one.
Not bad for a player once projected to have an irrelevant career.
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