With Dolphins back at Levi's, 49ers' Brock Purdy hopes he's rediscovered early magic
Brock Purdy's breakthrough with the 49ers came against the Dolphins in 2022, as Mr. Irrelevant began his ascent to league-beating QB1. Now he's hoping to recapture his early sizzle against Miami.
With the San Francisco 49ers set to host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, 1,386 days after Miami's last visit to Santa Clara, the focus turns to quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy's NFL career began in a Disney-esque manner on December 4, 2022, when Jimmy Garoppolo's broken foot led to Purdy entering the game as the untested rookie and eventually becoming the starting QB1.
Purdy led the 49ers to a 33-17 win over Miami while wearing No. 13, the number he now wears in honor of Dan Marino, the Dolphins legend who was his dad's boyhood hero. Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes that game foreshadowed the success that followed for the next three years.
The Dolphins returning to Santa Clara on Sunday presents an opportunity for Purdy to recapture some of that early career magic. While Purdy has continued to excel in his second season, with 40 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in the past two years, the 49ers' 2024 season saw them finish 6-11, and Purdy missed eight games last year due to turf toe.
Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal, will likely see increased playing time, but his performance has been lackluster in recent years. Tight end Luke Farrell, signed as a veteran to fill a need, has struggled to replicate the receiving prowess of Jake Tonges, who is out for the season.
Despite the challenges ahead, the 49ers' locker room remains focused and confident, with linebacker Fred Warner and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris emphasizing the importance of maintaining a consistent approach.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
