The San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Dolphins again on Sunday, 1,386 days after Miami last rolled into Santa Clara. And man, if Brock Purdy isn’t hoping for a blast from the past, I don’t know who is. This Sunday marks a huge moment for Purdy, a chance to prove his early career wasn’t just a fluke. He needs that old magic to show up, right now.
The 262nd Pick’s Fairytale Start
It’s wild to think about, but Purdy’s whole NFL story really kicked off like a Disney movie on December 4, 2022. You remember it, don’t you? Jimmy Garoppolo goes down with a broken foot, and suddenly, the untested rookie, the 262nd and dead-last pick in the draft, is QB1. Tight end George Kittle summed up the mood perfectly, recalling how linebackers coach Johnny Holland reacted: “Oh, Brock Purdy’s in? Oh.” Kittle said that was pretty much everyone’s reaction.
But then Purdy just went out there and shredded the Dolphins, leading the 49ers to a 33-17 win. And get this: he was wearing No. 13 to honor Dan Marino, his dad’s childhood hero, who was watching from a luxury suite that day! Head coach Kyle Shanahan called it “an extremely special game,” one that was “foreshadowing how the following three years would go after that game.” Sounds like a dream, right?
What Happened After the Fireworks?
Now, it’s not like Purdy totally disappeared. He took the 49ers to the Super Bowl and even finished fourth in NFL MVP voting in 2023, his first full season as a starter. That’s legit! But then things got… complicated. The 49ers stumbled to a 6-11 record in 2024. And last year, 2025, Purdy missed eight games with turf toe. Ouch.
Look at the numbers: his first two years, Purdy threw 44 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The past two seasons? That dropped to 40 touchdowns and 22 picks. That’s a shift, no doubt. He did sound pumped last month about reaching another level in Shanahan’s offense, and he kicked off this season with three touchdowns and a 105.6 passer rating in a 27-7 win over the Rams. Kittle still remembers that 19-yard strike Purdy delivered on an all-out blitz, saying, “It hit me right in the sternum. I was like, ‘All right, yeah, I could play with this. This is awesome.’” He even dropped an “Oh, s—, good job, Brock” after seeing the replay. That’s the guy they need back.
Who Else Needs to Step Up?
It’s not just Purdy under the microscope, though. Week 1 injuries mean the 49ers are gonna need way more from wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and tight end Luke Farrell than they probably expected. These guys were 2025 free-agent signings, and let’s just say their debut seasons were a little underwhelming. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling is out until at least early December with an ankle injury, pushing Robinson, who’s 31, into a bigger role.
Robinson signed a two-year, $8 million deal last year, but his 2025 stats,22 catches for 276 yards and just one touchdown in 14 games,didn’t exactly scream “bargain.” He did, however, have a “clutch, where-did-that-come-from performance” in the wild-card game. They need more of that, and less of the “lackluster.”
This Sunday against the Dolphins isn’t just another game. It’s Purdy’s chance to show everyone that the “Disney movie” isn’t over, and that 2024 and 2025 were just a rough sequel. Can he bring back that magic and lead his team to a big win?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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