Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Wednesday and shared that Purdy is raising the bar with his performance this season.
"A standard Brock game is 30 points and 80 percent completion and a couple of touchdowns and no picks," Young said. "Like, he has a game like last week, you're like, 'Man, it's okay. It's okay.'"
Purdy completed just 55.6 percent of his passes on Sunday against the New England Patriots, posting an 89.7 passer rating—both season lows. His completion percentage was the lowest in a single game since Week 6 of last season against the Cleveland Browns.
It may have been Purdy's worst game of the season, yet he still threw for 288 passing yards.
Young's point is that expectations for Purdy have risen. After seeing the young quarterback's consistent success since taking over as the starter, fans now expect him to excel every week. Young believes Purdy can make the most out of any play and feels the quarterback could do so with any team in the league, not just the 49ers.
"So you're going to get really good play every game," Young continued. "I said, even a year ago, you're not going to get those crazy three interceptions, balls flying all over the place, I'm bummed out, I'm not seeing things. The bigger the game, it doesn't seem like his mind or his eyes get constricted, which is so common."
Young also noted that while people once questioned Purdy's potential, his "floor" is now among the highest in the league. The question now is, what's his ceiling?
"I think we're like ... just don't worry about it," Young said in response to his own question. "The floor is as high as anyone in the league, and now, what's the ceiling? Let's let it play out."
Young added that if Purdy falls short of the new standard he's set, fans might begin to worry, even if he's still playing at a level higher than many other quarterbacks.
You can listen to Young's entire interview below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Steve Mariucci: 49ers' Brock Purdy has already proven he's good enough to win a Super Bowl
There has been no shortage of pressure placed on Brock Purdy heading into the 2026 season. After signing a massive long-term contract last year, Purdy is no longer the surprise seventh-round quarterback trying to prove he belongs. He is now firmly established as the San... -
Steve Mariucci doubts 49ers' George Kittle will be ready for Week 1: "He's not there yet"
The San Francisco 49ers are hoping George Kittle will be ready to return for the start of the regular season, but former 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci isn't convinced that will happen. Kittle recently provided an encouraging update on his recovery from the torn Achilles he... -
K.J. Wright sees versatility, growth from 49ers' young linebackers
The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of experience at linebacker, but there are a couple of young players who are giving linebackers coach K.J. Wright plenty to be excited about. Rookie Jaden Dugger and second-year linebacker Nick Martin are both battling for opportunities, and... -
49ers DC Raheem Morris evaluates young players after preseason opener
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris spoke with reporters after Saturday's training camp practice. Here's everything he had to say. Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff. Thursday night, that first drive, a lot of the young...