Many have doubted the San Francisco 49ers' decision to make Brock Purdy the highest-paid player in franchise history this offseason. Even with the NFL's perpetually rising salary cap and bloated quarterback market, folks outside the Bay Area have concerns about his lucrative contract. Yet, as Mr. Irrevelant of the 2022 draft has constantly done, he defied the naysayers in Week 1 of the 2025 campaign.
Purdy led the 49ers to a 17-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks despite unfavorable circumstances, to say the least. He overcame significant adversity against a formidable division rival in a regular-season opener with increased stakes that could have postseason ramifications come January. But above all, the 25-year-old stepped up when it mattered most, willing San Francisco to victory in the late stages of the contest.
Brock Purdy came up clutch when the @49ers needed him the most ‼️ pic.twitter.com/qwCkAIxULs
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Brock Purdy silences contract critics with Week 1 comeback win vs. Seahawks
Seahawks veteran kicker Jason Myers hit a 37-yard field goal to put Seattle up by three points with roughly three and a half minutes remaining. From there, Purdy shifted into overdrive en route to his first game-winning drive since Week 10 of last season and sixth total (including playoffs). The signal-caller went 6-of-6 for 67 yards and the touchdown that gave the Niners the lead for good, making several clutch, highlight-worthy tosses.
Without question, Purdy's best and most vital connection was a deep ball to 2024 first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The latter burned Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen on an excellent double-move, and the former stepped into the pocket and delivered a big-time throw. San Francisco flipped the field with a 45-yard gain, punctuated by an insane escape act and the pay dirt trip that sealed the deal.
What appeared to be a messy third-and-three sequence in the closing stages turned into a heroic effort from Purdy. He was facing pressure from all angles, moving 10-plus yards behind the line of scrimmage to carve out enough space to get a pass off. Eventually, the one-time Pro Bowler located undrafted third-year tight end Jake Tonges in the corner of the end zone for six. His improvisation skills and dog levels were on full display.
Yes, Purdy threw 2 picks, but he was pretty efficient besides that, going 26-of-35 for 277 yards and two scores, too, and context matters. He lost superstar tight end George Kittle early to a hamstring injury. Wideout Jauan Jennings went down with a shoulder issue and was reportedly "barely [able to] lift his arm." The handsomely paid gunslinger didn't have San Fran's top two pass-catchers from last year, impressively finding a way to prevail regardless.
To make matters worse, the 49ers couldn't get anything going on the ground, averaging 3.3 yards per rush on 36 carries. Moreover, the team's special teams unit was horrible, yielding two botched Jake Moody field goal attempts (one blocked, one missed). They were one-dimensional offensively and shooting themselves in the foot, yet Purdy had no problem moving the ball in such a disadvantageous position.