Inside the Huddle podcast: Brock Purdy can silence critics with Super Bowl victory, while Kansas City Chiefs can cement dynasty
Listen to Inside the Huddle as Jeff Reinebold and Neil Reynolds reflect on Conference Championship Sunday as well as looking ahead to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas; watch the Super Bowl live on Sky Sports on Sunday February 11, with build-up from 10pm ahead of kick-off at 11.30pm
Friday 9 February 2024 08:54, UK
Will it take a Super Bowl victory for Brock Purdy to get the recognition he deserves? The San Francisco 49ers quarterback could be 60 minutes away from finding out as he prepares to lead Kyle Shanahan's side out against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas.
Purdy is set to become the third youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl in NFL history as he looks to cap his extraordinary rise as the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The former Iowa State man helped San Francisco reach last season's NFC Championship, during which he was forced off due to injury, and just inspired the 49ers to an emphatic comeback win from 24-7 down to eliminate the Detroit Lions.
Speaking on the latest edition of Inside the Huddle, Sky Sports NFL's Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold discussed what it will take for Purdy to silence the doubters.
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"Somehow that guy who is just a game manager, who everybody talks about what he can't do, look at that one scramble where he gets out of pressure, and I have no idea how he ducked under that pressure," said Reinebold.
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"He went out to his left and fired to Kyle Juszczyk on the sideline for that huge first down to keep the drive alive. If it was some of the other quarterbacks in the NFL we would say it's the greatest play in Niners quarterback history, it would rank up there with The Catch.
"That was a tremendous football play and still it's not enough. Is it going to take a Super Bowl for people to finally recognise how good he is?"
Purdy was one of the NFL's most efficient quarterbacks as he finished the regular season 308 of 444 passing (69.4 per cent) for 4,280 yards (fifth most) and 31 touchdowns (third) to just 11 interceptions with a league-leading passer rating of 113.0.
Pushback on both his influence and talent has seemingly stemmed from the depth of Shanahan's offensive weaponry, which boasts a star-studded cast of the NFL's rushing leader Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle.
"I think it's snobbery, I think it's about where he entered the NFL as the last pick in the Draft," added Reynolds. "It is a nice story but it's also a label and labels are hard to rip off your back.
"He was outstanding last year, he was the highest-rated quarterback in the NFL this season.
"I'm not comparing them, but he did what Joe Montana and Steve Young did in big playoff games for the 49ers. He put the team on his back and delivered a victory when their backs were against the wall.
"There wasn't many times Steve Young or Joe Montana were down by 17 at half-time and came back. He has done all of that."
Awaiting Purdy is a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team that has quashed doubts of its own by overcoming a tumultuous season on offense to take out leading contenders in the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens on the way to a fourth Super Bowl in the last five years.
Mahomes is looking to win his third ring in Kansas City having out-duelled Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in last season's finale and seen off Shanahan's 49ers at Super Bowl LIV at the end of the 2019 campaign.
Would a third Championship confirm the NFL's latest dynasty team?
"I think the consensus is that we've said you've got to win three Super Bowls and it has to come in a six-year window," said Reinebold.
"They've been to six AFC Championship Games, if they win it it will be their third in that six-year span. That puts you firmly in place with some of the great dynasties."
Watch Super Bowl LVIII from Las Vegas live on Sky Sports on Sunday February 11, with build-up from 10pm ahead of kickoff at 11.30pm; Neil Reynolds and Phoebe Schecter will be joined in the studio by former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins
