San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy has been one of the NFL‘s pleasant surprises since he entered the league as Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s made the most of every opportunity he’s received, and he managed to lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl last year as a sophomore quarterback.
Now, Purdy is slated to become one of the highest-paid players in the NFL when he’s eligible for a contract extension after this season.
“It’s a good problem when your quarterback is one of the highest-paid guys on your team and in the league,” 49ers CEO Jed York said earlier this year.
Let’s break down Brock Purdy’s age and how it compares to other NFL quarterbacks, and examine his journey to the NFL.
How Old Is Brock Purdy?
Purdy was born on Dec. 27, 1999, in Queen Creek, Arizona, so he’s only 24 years old. However, you would never know it based on his maturity, poise, and leadership. His teammates have said that he’s wide beyond his years and carries himself like a veteran.
"He just demands attention, demands your best."
Jake Brendel believes Brock Purdy is wise beyond his years pic.twitter.com/HbHtcxxjOG
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) July 27, 2024
Since he was relatively young when the Niners drafted him in 2022, Purdy is actually the same age as several quarterbacks in this year’s rookie class, including Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The youngest starting quarterbacks in the NFL are Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson (22), Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (22), Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud (22), and New England Patriots QB Drake Maye (22). Meanwhile, the oldest starting quarterbacks are New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers and Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.
Purdy’s Stellar Play While at Iowa State
Purdy took Iowa State football to another level, leading the Cyclones to a 30-17 record during his time at the school. They went to a bowl in all four of his seasons, making him the first-ever quarterback at Iowa State to accomplish that feat.
He still owns the school records for career passing yards (12,170), touchdown passes (81), completions (993), and completion percentage (67.7%).
Many college quarterbacks don’t have to make NFL-level throws or read defenses very much since a lot of collegiate schemes are about getting the ball out quickly to elite receivers who are oftentimes wide-open. But that wasn’t the case for Purdy.
Since he didn’t have elite playmakers on the outside, Purdy had to put the ball in tight spaces — the same kind of throws that quarterbacks are expected to make in the NFL. This makes his collegiate success even more impressive.
There’s no question that Purdy’s time at Iowa State helped prepare him for the pros. While former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance only started 17 total games in his collegiate career (and just one game during his final season at North Dakota State due to COVID-19), Purdy started 47 games at Iowa State (including big games like the Fiesta Bowl and Big 12 Championship). Even if you count Lance’s high school starts, he had just 26 games under his belt when he entered the NFL.
Once Purdy and Lance were competing for playing time on the 49ers, Purdy’s experience (and Lance’s inexperience) certainly showed. Lance was also facing weaker competition in college, which made his transition to the NFL tougher than Purdy’s, who played against more talented Big 12 teams.
Purdy Becomes ‘Mr. Irrelevant’
Purdy was selected with No. 262 overall in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, meaning he was the last player picked.
Each year, the final selection in the NFL Draft is given the playful nickname “Mr. Irrelevant,” and it usually leads to a decent amount of exposure and opportunities for the prospect.
In total, 45 players have been officially given the title of Mr. Irrelevant. Another 39 have the honor in an unofficial capacity.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy is 23 years and 18 days old. That makes him the youngest player in NFL postseason history to throw for 300 yards and 3 TDs in a game.
The man he surpassed? Dan Marino, Purdy's childhood hero and the reason he wears No. 13.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 15, 2023
Purdy is by far the most successful of the bunch, as he became the first Mr. Irrelevant to start a playoff game as a rookie. He has also become a Pro Bowler, and he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, where they were within inches of winning it all in overtime.
Other notable Mr. Irrelevants include kicker Ryan Succop, who won a Super Bowl ring as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting kicker, and linebacker Marty Moore, who was the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in a Super Bowl when his New England Patriots lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.