Brock Purdy put on a show under the Sunday night lights in Week 16, delivering the kind of performance that reminds everyone why the 49ers are such a dangerous team heading into the postseason. Against the Bears, Purdy didn’t just manage the game - he took command of it, showcasing his signature poise, mobility, and decision-making in a game that added another chapter to his growing highlight reel.
Even with San Francisco punting for the first time since November - a stat that speaks volumes about just how efficient this offense has been - Purdy kept the 49ers humming. Late in the third quarter, he delivered one of the most electric plays of the night.
Scrambling to avoid pressure, Purdy extended the play with his legs, kept his eyes downfield, and found a wide-open Kyle Juszczyk in the end zone for his second passing touchdown of the night. Add in his two rushing scores, and you’ve got a quarterback doing it all - through the air, on the ground, and with the kind of improvisation that turns broken plays into backbreakers for opposing defenses.
It was the kind of moment that would’ve had the football world buzzing if it had come from someone like Patrick Mahomes - and to be fair, that comparison didn’t go unspoken. Cris Collinsworth, on the NBC broadcast with Mike Tirico, didn’t shy away from drawing the parallel. In fact, he leaned into it with a bit of self-aware honesty.
“Brock Purdy was drafted when they were cleanin’ up the joint, but here he goes,” Collinsworth said. “He’s cleaning up the Bears so far tonight.
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I mean, if this were Patrick Mahomes we’d be screaming, ‘Oh Patrick Mahomes!’ I know I would be screaming.
But that’s the way it works because he has made those kinds of plays all night long and just been carrying the 49ers.”
Tirico, clearly enjoying the moment, joked that Collinsworth was beating the internet to the punch. Collinsworth’s reply?
“Yeah, I like memes.” It was a light moment in the booth, but it underscored a serious point: Purdy is making plays that deserve recognition - not just as flashes of brilliance, but as consistent elements of his game.
This wasn’t just a one-off performance. Since returning from injury, Purdy has looked sharp, confident, and in total sync with Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
His ability to extend plays without panicking, to trust his reads, and to deliver under pressure has been a huge part of San Francisco’s late-season surge. And while the 49ers’ roster is loaded with talent - from Christian McCaffrey to Deebo Samuel to a dominant defense - it’s Purdy’s command of the offense that’s helping tie it all together.
So yes, if Mahomes had made that play, we’d be watching it on loop. But on this night, it was Brock Purdy doing the dazzling. And if he keeps playing like this, it won’t be long before those Mahomes comparisons come with a little less surprise and a lot more respect.