49ers star QB Brock Purdy got paid $265 million and now he has to justify all that cash
Being the 49ers’ quarterback means big-time pressure is an unalienable reality.Heavy scrutiny isn’t an occupational hazard; it’s part of the job description.Brock Purdy doesn’t have to be told that.
He lives it every day.But for reasons in and out of his control, that spotlight could turn even brighter this year.Purdy can control delivering championship-level play that leaves no doubt he is the long-term focal point of the franchise.What he can’t control is how the 49ers will react to yet another year of falling short.Or the dominoes that could fall if Joe Burrow decides his patience with the Bengals has officially expired.Multiple league sources have indicated that San Francisco is a team to watch if Burrow serves the Bengals with divorce papers.For the same reasons Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch made an earnest run at Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2021, some believe they would not hesitate to do the same if Burrow is available.But more on that in a bit.At the risk of being redundant, the 49ers have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations this year.
It’s kind of an annual thing for this proud franchise.But it’s been 31 years since they closed the deal.Purdy isn’t the root of San Francisco’s frustration; he’s just the latest face of it.In a world in which close doesn’t cut it, if the 49ers come up short again, they will reevaluate everything.
Eventually, they will have to ask themselves if Purdy is part of the solution or the problem.And if they need to start looking for a better quarterback.The 49ers have never been shy about being proactive at the most important position on the field, even when things are going well.This is the franchise that traded for Steve Young when Joe Montana was on the roster.They drafted Colin Kaepernick even with the highly capable Alex Smith in the fold, then handed the reins to Kaepernick after Smith suffered a concussion during the 2012 season.Only the year before, Smith had delivered a 13-3 season and a berth ...