After Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a potentially season-ending broken foot in the first quarter of the 49ers’ win over the Dolphins on Sunday, rookie Brock Purdy took over.
Purdy completed 25 of his 37 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in relief of Jimmy G as the 49ers defeated the Dolphins, 33-17. Purdy also saw action earlier this season in a 44-23 loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 23.
Purdy was the final pick in this year’s NFL Draft, going 262nd to San Francisco in the seventh round. Purdy will be the first “Mr. Irrelevant” to start a game at quarterback when the Niners take on Tom Brady’s Buccaneers next Sunday.
“I think it’s cool,” Purdy told reporters after Sunday’s game. “He’s been playing football longer than I’ve been alive, so to have a first start against, you know, the GOAT, it’s gonna be pretty cool.”
Purdy attended Iowa State University, where he took over as starter in the fifth game of his true freshman year in 2018. By the end of his senior year, he’d started 47 consecutive games.
Purdy was named first team All-Big 12 as a senior. He completed 71.7 percent of his passes, which led the Big 12 and was fifth in the country, and he led the conference in passing yards per game with 245.2.
According to his Iowa State bio, the Cyclones went 30-17 in games started by Purdy — including 24-11 in the Big 12, and 16-1 at home in conference play.