San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy led a stunning comeback in the NFC Championship. His team, down by 17 points, eventually won and secured a Super Bowl spot. Purdy credits his faith in God for this success.
In the game, Purdy impressively completed 20 of 31 passes, throwing for 267 yards and a touchdown. This helped overturn a 24-7 deficit to a 34-31 victory over Detroit. The 49ers will now face Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.
Purdy’s NFL journey is remarkable. He was the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, chosen as No. 262 out of 262. Yet, he has led the 49ers to two consecutive NFC title games. His journey started at Iowa State and has now reached the Super Bowl. He will be one of the youngest quarterbacks to start in this event.
In a post-game conference, Purdy reflected on his career.
“I honestly think this is a testament to God and where He’s taking me in life. I’ve never been the biggest, the fastest, the strongest or any of that. I feel like I’ve always sort of had to fight for what I get and work for what I get. But God’s always given me an opportunity, whether that was in high school, college, and then obviously in the NFL…Getting drafted last — people you know, overlook you and all that kind of stuff. And then all you need is an opportunity. …I put my faith and trust in Him and He’s gotten me where I’m at.” said Purdy.
His faith has been a constant in his underdog story.
Nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last draft pick, Purdy started as the 49ers’ third-string quarterback. He became the starter due to injuries. Even when down by 17 at halftime, Purdy remained calm.
“So when I’m down 17 at half, honestly, I’m just thinking, alright God, You’ve taken me here. And win or lose, I’m gonna glorify You. And that’s my peace. That’s the joy. That’s the steadfastness. That’s where I get it from. And that’s the honest truth. So I lean into that. And sure enough, we were able to come back.” Purdy said.
Purdy openly expresses his Christian faith. His social media profiles reflect this, as does his public speaking. He introduces himself on his social media pages as “Believer in Christ” and “Follower of Christ.”
In an interview with Sports Spectrum, he said, “My identity is in Jesus.” He aims to “witness and defend the Christian faith as best as I can.”
He shared a pivotal moment at Iowa State. Purdy asked God to forgive him for prioritizing football over his relationship with Christ. This experience solidified his identity and faith in Jesus.
“It was just a great reminder of where my identity is, where it lies…And it’s in Jesus. And I continue to lean on Him. Again, the next day I didn’t go out and throw for 500 yards and was this awesome quarterback, but it was just this peace that I had with Him knowing that, ‘Hey, no matter what I’m going to face moving forward during college football, God and Jesus are going to be my identity. And whatever I face, I won’t be shaken from it.’ I’ve got a great foundation in Him.” Purdy told the Sports Spectrum Podcast.
As followers of Christ, our true identity is found in Him. When we fully surrender to Jesus, He guides our lives, just like He did for Brock Purdy. Let us remain steadfast in our faith, trusting God in every challenge we face.
“First of all Glory to God.”
Brock Purdy and the 49ers are on their way to the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/sfMyuDzP2y
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) January 29, 2024