San Francisco 49ers star Brock Purdy hopes to become the first rookie quarterback to win on his first playoff start since Russell Wilson when he faces the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.
Purdy is the reigning ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ after he was selected with the 262nd and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The rookie’s path has been remarkable, transitioning from third-string quarterback to starter as the replacement when sophomore Trey Lance and veteran Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injuries.
He has impressed since taking the lead gig, with the 49ers offence averaging over 30 points per game with Purdy at the helm. He is thriving thanks to a loaded roster that features the league's top-ranked defence and an offence littered with playmakers like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.
According to Pro Football Reference, only six rookie quarterbacks have won their first career playoff start since 1970. In the same span, rookie quarterbacks are 8-18 with Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez the only players to win their first two postseason starts.
Saturday’s clash between the 49ers and Seahawks represents the first playoff start for Purdy, who is looking to become the first rookie quarterback to win a playoff start since Russell Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson was drafted by Seattle in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft and led them to the postseason, where they were eliminated by the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round after defeating Washington.
If Purdy imitates Wilson and wins, he could be a contender to win the Super Bowl. After he was eliminated as a rookie at the hands of the Falcons, a sophomore Wilson hit back and led the Seahawks to Super Bowl XLVIII glory over the Denver Broncos.
The playoffs represent a new plane of football for a rookie to navigate; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones led his side to the postseason in 2021 but was swiftly defeated 47-17 by the Buffalo Bills. Purdy will hope he fares better when he takes on Geno Smith, who is also set for his first playoff start in his ninth NFL season.
Heading into Wild Card Weekend, the 49ers and Seahawks - rivals in the NFC West - will meet for only the second time in the playoffs. San Francisco are looking to become the 15th team in NFL history to finish 3-0 against the same opponent in a single campaign after sweeping Seattle during the 2022 regular season.
However, history suggest the 49ers could struggle. Teams attempting to go 3-0 against the same team in a single season since 1970 have a 4-9 record. The 49ers are also hoping to become the first team to finish 7-0 against their division since the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers swept the Baltimore Ravens en route to the franchise’s celebrated sixth Super Bowl title.
Purdy’s 49ers welcome the Seahawks to Levi’s Stadium on Saturday night as the NFL playoffs get underway.
