49ers' Brock Purdy embraces remaining critics: 'It's part of the sport'

Quarterback Brock Purdy seems to understand he'll remain a target of critics even though he guided the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII this past February. 

"It's part of the sport," Purdy said during a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," as shared by David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "And I'm not saying, 'Oh, woe is me,' or anything like that. I mean, it's part of it...and that's fine, but for me, all I care about is the respect [from] the guys in the locker room, [from] the coaches, the staff, the organization. And they see how I handle business here, and how I perform in games, and what's on the film, rather than just feelings and opinions and emotions."

The controversial "game manager" label hovered over Purdy's status from the fall of 2023 up through the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs even though he entered February as a finalist for the regular season Most Valuable Player Award. According to ESPN stats, Purdy finished Week 18 leading the NFL among qualified quarterbacks with a 72.8 adjusted QBR and a 113.0 passer rating. He was third with 31 touchdown passes and fifth with 4,280 yards through the air. 

Despite such numbers, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey was one of three players who finished ahead of Purdy in MVP voting. 

"You turn on the film, there's plays being made, there's a guy that's playing quarterback for what it is, and that's how I look at it," Purdy added about skeptics still saying he isn't elite after he completed 23-of-38 passes for 255 yards with one touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII. 

Purdy could be one season away from becoming one of the league's highest-paid players, especially if he's in MVP conversations again. As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Purdy tied for sixth among the betting favorites at +1200 odds to earn MVP honors for the upcoming campaign. 

"As long as we're winning games, dude, it really don't matter," Purdy said about possibly receiving praise for his many accomplishments. "I keep it simple and we just keep moving the ball forward, and that's how I look at it."