Former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy goes from ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ to 49ers starter

The San Francisco 49ers have Super Bowl aspirations, and they won their fifth straight game Sunday by thumping the Miami Dolphins 33-17.

But the victory came at a price as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending injury on the first series of Sunday’s game.

The 49ers didn’t miss a beat with Garoppolo’s replacement, former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy.

Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes for 210 yards with a pair of touchdown throws and an interception. Not bad for a guy who was taken by San Francisco with the 262nd and final pick of this year’s NFL Draft.

That made Purdy “Mr. Irrelevant,” the name given to the last pick of the draft. When he threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk, Purdy made NFL history. He is the first “Mr. Irrelevant” to throw a touchdown pass in a regular-season game, as NBC Sports noted.

“A lot of people have said a lot of things about me like, I’m not good enough, this or that,” Purdy told NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I just trust in God, and I’ll continue to do what I do — put my head down and go to work.”

The 49ers plan to go with Purdy as the starter, and he’s likely to hear more questions about being “Mr. Irrelevant.” He was asked that question following Sunday’s game, and Purdy reminded reporters he was a four-year starter at Iowa State.

During his time in Ames, Purdy helped the Cyclones reach a Big 12 Championship Game and win the 2020 Fiesta Bowl.

“That’s just where I fell in the draft,” Purdy said. “I’m very thankful that I got drafted. But I’ve always had confidence and belief in myself that I can play at this level, especially through the preseason games, and then the times I’ve gotten in the game. It’s football, and I played four years as a starter in college. So in terms of 11 on 11 and speed and all that kind of stuff and seeing the game, I’ve had that kind of experience.

“But to get in and play and now, starting next week and whatnot, it’s something that I’ve always looked forward to, and I’ve honestly told myself that it’s going to happen, so here we are.”

Purdy will make that first NFL start Sunday against the Buccaneers and Tom Brady. Purdy was born on Dec. 27, 1999, days before Brady’s final game with Michigan in the Orange Bowl.

“I think it’s really cool,” Purdy told reporters Sunday. “Dude’s been playing football longer than I’ve been alive, so to have a first start against the GOAT, it’s gonna be pretty cool. But it’s just any other game, man. I’ve gotta be efficient, do my thing and play football.”