The intricacy required to pull off that pass explains why Purdy is off to such a hot start this fifth season as the 49ers\u2019 quarterback. Overlooked? Underrated? Those are outdated stigmas connected to his Mr. Irrelevant inheritance as the 2022 NFL Draft\u2019s 262nd and final pick.<\/p>\n
One play in last Sunday\u2019s 35-13 win over Miami summed up Purdy\u2019s all-around excellence, with a nod to Mike Evans\u2019 duty as a legendary receiver.<\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/BNG-L-49ERS-0921-16.jpg\")
San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans (5) leaps for extra yards after a catch inside the 10-yard line against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here is a 10-step analysis of Purdy\u2019s highlight-reel pass from eyewitnesses:<\/p>\n
1. THE SCENARIO<\/p>\n
The 49ers comfortably led 28-6 and took possession at the Dolphins\u2019 28-yard line after Brayden Willis smothered a botched punt by former 49er Bradley Pinion, with 3 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter of an eventual 35-13 victory over Miami.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely saw the next play with Brock. Are you kidding me? It was a great play by them. The funny thing about having those guys on your team, you get to see that in practice 1,000 times. I don\u2019t know how many times I can tell you I\u2019ve seen Brock make that throw or Mike make that play.\u201d \u2013 Willis.<\/p>\n
2. THE PLAY CALL<\/p>\n
Coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a play-action, naked bootleg for Purdy.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. I mean, we had a keeper called, so obviously we\u2019re faking the run and then I\u2019m rolling out.\u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/BNG-L-49ERS-0921-106.jpg\")
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Jose Carlos Fajardo\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
3. THE FAKE RUNS<\/p>\n
Purdy took the snap from under center Jake Brendel and faked a pitch to Christian McCaffrey as the running back and entire offensive line moved to the right, along with tight end George Kittle who went in motion that way. After the play-action fake, Purdy opted against a QB keeper.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe extended the play. He does it all the time in practice, but not recklessly. I don\u2019t know what I would have done. I probably would have fell on the ground or thrown it away, but Brock is more talented than I am.\u201d \u2013 Mac Jones, backup quarterback.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to be better at (keepers) this season, so the detail that I go into the play with, knowing, \u2018Alright, this can be the look and if this is the case, I have to react this way. If it\u2019s not, keep attacking. And I\u2019ve got to go through my read and all that kind of thing.\u2019 \u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
4. THE READ<\/p>\n
After faking the toss, Purdy made a U-turn, shuffled left, centered himself between the hashmarks, and pump-faked linebacker Willie Gay Jr. into the air 5 yards in front of him. Then Purdy surveyed the defenders chasing his potential receivers, Evans and Deebo Samuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it was not a good look for the play we called. So, you\u2019re already kind of hoping, \u2018Brock, don\u2019t make it a bad play\u2019 which he knows that. And he comes out and makes the guy miss. Okay, now we got a chance to do something.\u201d \u2013 Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak<\/p>\n
\u201cMike was No. 2 in the progression and Deebo sort of got hung up early, so I got my eyes to Mike and obviously there was a backer out there first so pump faked him, just trying to get some space and create some time to get to Mike and I felt like Mike had a couple steps on the guy. He was running. I felt like it was man coverage. For me, I was like, \u2018Alright, I\u2019ve just got to give Mike a chance here.\u2019 \u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/BNG-L-49ERS-0921-3.jpg\")
San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans (5) dives for a first down against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
5. THE RECEIVERS<\/p>\n
To the formation\u2019s right side, Samuel lined up in the slot and Evans on the outside. Samuel got delayed once chipped off the snap by defensive end Josh Uche. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez tightly trailed Samuel\u2019s crossing route. Evans shadowed them 5 yards downfield, then cut deeper once safety Michael Taaffe bit toward Samuel. Evans gained a step past safety Dante Trader Jr., whose outstretched right hand nearly broke up Purdy\u2019s pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just cool the way, just the way (Evans) set his angle. It was very easy to read where he was going, which made it easier for Brock to make an almost impossible show. It was a throw he could have no room for error; the guy (Taaffe) would have undercut it. Mike set the angle well and Brock threw a dime.\u201d \u2013 Shanahan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know where it was going. I saw it when it was going over my head. If I could have intercepted it, I would have.\u201d \u2013 Samuel<\/p>\n
\u201cTo freeze that linebacker by giving him a quick pump (fake), then I think he had Deebo right in front of him. He could have take a short, safe throw, but he saw Mike Evans. It also helps when your receiver has 35-inch arms, Go-Go-Gadget arms.\u201d \u2013 general manager John Lynch, on KNBR 680-AM.<\/p>\n
6. THE THROW<\/p>\n
After looking to his right on his pump fake, Purdy took five steps to his left, hopped, and fired on target to Evans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat guy was coming underneath to undercut the route and the throw and I just was like, \u2018Just give Mike a chance and put it on him.\u2019\u2026 In the moment, it\u2019s like, how can I do my job, execute, be violent with the throw, execute and finish the drive? That\u2019s what I\u2019m thinking about.\u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guy running with Mike, it had to be a perfect throw or else it would have been picked and Brock threw a dime. That was awesome. That was a heck of a play by him.\u201d \u2013 Kubiak<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was pretty tight. It was really a perfect ball, for sure.\u201d \u2013 Samuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe manages to roll out, pump fakes a guy, keeps his eyes downfield and throws it. Quarterbacks who don\u2019t have confidence aren\u2019t going to make that pass, but he makes it. He sees that Mike Evans is down there, he has a step on the guy, (says) \u2018I can make that throw.\u2019 He\u2019s doing it all day. We\u2019ve saw it all throughout training camp and we\u2019ve seen it against the Rams. He\u2019s stepping into throws, throwing deep balls to Deebo, Mike, everybody.\u201d \u2013 George Kittle.<\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/BNG-L-49ERS-0921-41.jpg\")
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) salutes the crowd as he leaves the field following their 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
7. THE LAYER KING<\/p>\n
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris nicknamed Purdy \u201cThe Layer King\u201d during training camp, for touch passes just over defenders. Purdy countered by saying quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi \u201cdoesn\u2019t like that word \u2018layered.\u2019 He thinks everything should be driven and you throw the appropriate ball.\u201d This 27-yard completion to Evans was not only layered over defenders but driven past them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mindset I have to have is be violent with the throw, be committed to the throw. Obviously, every throw is different. You can have layered throws, touch throws, whatever you want to call them. Then there\u2019s plays where, like the play we\u2019re talking about, where you\u2019re on the move and there\u2019s a guy chasing Mike Evans from the back and he\u2019s trying to undercut this ball. My mindset has to be, \u2018Commit to this throw and make it a violent throw, put it on him.\u2019 I feel like that\u2019s something that I\u2019ve learned, I don\u2019t know, within this last year and stuff, having that kind of mindset. There\u2019s a time and place for it, though.\u201d \u2014 Purdy<\/p>\n
8. THE GRAB<\/p>\n
Evans, Tampa Bay\u2019s all-time leading receiver via the past 12 seasons, extended his 35 1\/8-inch arms and 9 5\/8-inch hands to snare Purdy\u2019s pass in stride at the 10-yard line. Five steps later, Evans careened out of bounds. Cornerback JuJu Brents had broken off his coverage of Jacob Cowing, and from his knees at the 5, Brents swiped at Evans\u2019 right knee to make him off-balance and detour his path to the front left pylon. Evans signaled himself out of the game with a hip issue that kept him from praciting Wednesday and Thursday, and he\u2019s been unavailable for comment this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was great for him to just keep running. There was a guy chasing him, obviously man-coverage behind him. And so, for Mike to use his length to reach out and get the ball and make a play like that was pretty special.\u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still think Mike may have gotten in.\u201d Shanahan, who did not challenge the official\u2019s spot that Evans went out of bounds at the 1, setting up Christian McCaffrey\u2019s 100th career touchdown run on the next snap.<\/p>\n
9. THE PRAISE<\/p>\n
From bosses to teammates to media pundits, Purdy\u2019s pass and overall play drew raves.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust physically on the field, I\u2019d say there\u2019s lots of traits he has, but how accurate he is, how good he is at layering the balls over defenders and how well he plays in the pocket.\u201d \u2013 Shanahan said of Purdy\u2019s best attributes, outside of his mental capacity, accountability and coachability.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the kids say these days, that was \u2018sick,\u2019 that was an unbelievable play. The wherewithal. Brock has that instinct. He\u2019s a playmaker. \u2026 Very few quarterbacks could have made that play. Very few receivers have been blessed with 35-inch arms to go make that play, and then also have the speed to create the separation.\u201d \u2013 Lynch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis play is the dumbest play of all-time. Truly, watch this: Boom, then dumbest play of all-time, and then the throw. You can\u2019t coach that. This is one of the sickest plays I\u2019ve ever seen Brock Purdy do.\u201d \u2014 former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel on his YouTube channel, \u201cThe Breakdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got Mike Evans on the cross. Tight coverage right here. Look at that ball. Look at the ball, up and over the underneath defenders. Perfect location. Boom. I don\u2019t know, how many guys in this league are making this throw? Very few. That is a big-time throw. Beautiful. I love it.\u201d \u2013 Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner on his YouTube channel, \u201cQB Confidential.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no quarterback in the NFL playing football the way Brock Purdy is right now.\u201d \u2014 ESPN\u2019s Dan Orlovsky, who also praised Purdy\u2019s first completion to Evans on their opening drive, when Purdy stopped his rollout and completed a 10-yard, third-down conversion to the Miami 22-yard line. \u201cWhat? What? This is Mahomes stuff. Allen. Jackson. A handful of guys capable of making them.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/BNG-L-49ERS-0921-126.jpg\")
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) waits for the television reporter to start her interview after their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins 35-13. (Jose Carlos Fajardo\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
10. THE NEXT STEP<\/p>\n
Purdy won NFC Player of the Week honors and has a league-leading 80.4 completion percentage. Signed to a five-year, $265 million extension prior to last season, he is looking to lead the 49ers to a 3-0 start for their third time in four seasons and eventually his fourth postseason in five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrock\u2019s played at such a high level since his first game versus Miami. So, to say how much better he\u2019s gotten, I mean, you can\u2019t get that much better. He\u2019s been extremely consistent and he gets more comfortable just with everything he\u2019s faced. He\u2019s been in every situation. He\u2019s been comfortable with the offense since the beginning, but just the more you play, the more you see defenses, you see certain fronts, you see disguises, you know what it feels like to be up a lot, to be down a lot. I think Brock learns from every life experience he\u2019s in and that just makes him better as a player and better as a man as he gets older.\u201d \u2013 Shanahan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just like I\u2019m out there running random plays. It\u2019s like every play there\u2019s so much thought into what my details have to be, what my fundamentals have to look like, and then from there, go and execute and do it well. So, yeah that was just a play, like I said, where I had to create some time by pump faking that one guy. Mike was screaming across the field, make the throw, and go finish the drive off.\u201d \u2013 Purdy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe continues to impress us week in, week out.\u201d \u2013 Samuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see time kind of slow down for him. Whether it\u2019s a bootleg and he\u2019s faking a guy out and makes him jump, then continues on and puts a dot on Mike Evans on the sideline. That\u2019s a great play but you don\u2019t understand how hard that is for a quarterback who has so many things going on in his mind, to slow down and make those moves.\u201d \u2013 Fred Warner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brock Purdy\u2019s season, much less his career, will not be defined by a 27-yard completion that didn\u2019t even…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1011394,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2080],"tags":[220,2947,2644,7,1921,929,6,1161,252,2624,2623,9],"class_list":["post-1011393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-francisco-49ers","tag-49ers","tag-49ers-hq","tag-brock-purdy","tag-football","tag-inside-sports","tag-latest-headlines","tag-nfl","tag-san-francisco","tag-san-francisco-49ers","tag-sanfrancisco","tag-sanfrancisco49ers","tag-sports"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/117338238388035016","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1011393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1011393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1011393\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1011394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1011393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1011393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1011393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}