Niners quarterback Brock Purdy ignited a nearly 24-hour social media spat between longtime San Francisco reporter David Lombardi and ESPN analyst Mina Kimes, proving once again that NFL quarterback discourse is never dull. Lombardi, who has covered the 49ers since 2017, has been the biggest Purdy believer on the internet, leading the charge for the young signal-caller’s narrative ever since he took over under center.
The “MVP-Frontrunner” Game Lombardi Called His “Best Work Yet”
It’s been tough to argue against Purdy’s praise so far this season, for Lombardi or anyone else. Through three games, Purdy was miles ahead of every other quarterback in QBR, ESPN’s stat for complete game performance. Then came Week 4, a tough matchup against the Denver Broncos. That Broncos defense has been one of the NFL’s better units in recent years, making it a real test. Purdy admittedly struggled in the first half but surged in the second, leading the 49ers to a victory. His stat line for the day was solid, if unspectacular: 19 of 30 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. His QBR score for the game was 67.5, perfectly fine but also by far his worst game of the season.
But that’s not how Lombardi saw it. As the game ended, he took to X, declaring, “In an MVP-frontrunner season, this has been Brock Purdy’s best work yet.” Lombardi doubled down, saying Purdy “made it work down 3 of his top WR and with Mike Evans not 100% against a defense that would’ve likely been in the Super Bowl last season had Bo Nix not gotten hurt. As soon as Shanahan put this in his QB’s hands, Purdy took over.”
Mina Kimes Dropped the Truth Bomb About Denver’s Defense
Honestly, nothing Lombardi said there was inaccurate. But about 20 minutes later, Mina Kimes hit back, quoting Lombardi’s post with a simple, stinging truth about what actually went down on Sunday: “The Broncos are missing both of their corners.” Boom. Denver had lost All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain to an ankle injury right before halftime. Fellow starter Riley Moss then left shortly after with a rib injury. Neither returned. Kimes pointed out in her replies that Purdy played better in other games this season and his surge in this specific one only came after *both* starting cornerbacks were out with injuries. She also noted that Denver’s defense isn’t what it once was, sitting around the middle of the pack through four games in points allowed (93), yards per play (5.6), and the percentage of drives ending in offensive points (40.9%). For Kimes, these reasons made Lombardi’s take “bizarre” a few times over the next few hours.
The “Insane Goalpost-Shifts” Take That Reignited The Fire
You’d think that would be the end of it, but no way. Lombardi jumped back into the fray. First, he fired back Sunday night, focusing on the 49ers’ missing offensive weapons and concluding, “You do not have anything close to a point.” But he wasn’t done. About 12 hours later on Monday morning, Lombardi doubled back, and this is where it got spicy. “Quite frankly, it’s one of the most insane goalpost-shifts that we’ve seen in Purdy analysis and that’s saying something,” Lombardi wrote. “And it needs to be called out because goalpost-shifting for Purdy has become a ritual that no other QB faces.”
So, the debate rages on. The question of whether Purdy is an MVP frontrunner or a product of circumstances, a debate with a lot of passion on both sides. While the NFL world continues to dissect every Purdy throw, our Hawks were out there taking care of business. They just pulled off a solid 30-23 win against the Los Angeles Chargers, keeping things interesting as we push deeper into the regular season. What a time to be a fan, right?
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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