San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has opened the 2026 season with nine touchdown passes and a 3-0 record, earning praise from seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, who placed him in tier-one quarterback discussions alongside the league’s top signal-callers.
Brock Purdy’s Efficiency and Unbeaten 3-0 Start
The San Francisco 49ers are undefeated to start the 2026 NFL season, driven by a passing attack that has quickly recaptured the explosive efficiency of their 2023 campaign. Quarterback Brock Purdy is leading the league in passer rating at 133.1, according to The Ringer. He shares the NFL lead with nine touchdown passes following a 297-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Advanced metrics place Purdy in rare company through the first three weeks of the season. His expected points added on passing plays trail only Tom Brady’s 2007 season among quarterbacks this century. Analysts note that Purdy is currently on pace for a 4,000-yard, 50-touchdown campaign, a threshold reached just three times previously in league history. If Purdy hits those marks, it would essentially guarantee him the MVP award. All of Purdy’s numbers are outstanding, but this one might be the most impressive: We’re nearly a month into the season, and Purdy hasn’t been sacked. He’s the only starting quarterback who can make that claim. Purdy also has 789 yards passing and only one interception.
Tom Brady Elevates Purdy to Tier-One Quarterback Status
This early-season surge has drawn high-profile praise. During a recent segment on Fox, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady addressed Purdy’s trajectory after placing the 49ers at the top of his power rankings.
“Brock Purdy is playing as well as anybody. [He] should be considered in the tier-one QB discussions; at least, he is in my eyes.”
Tom Brady, Fox Sports broadcast analyst
When pressed on whether Purdy can be classified as an elite signal-caller, Brady offered an assessment.
“It sure looks like it. [He’s] playing within the system, throwing the ball accurately, no negative plays, getting his team in and out of the right plays. I love the way that he’s managing every single game.”
Tom Brady, Fox Sports broadcast analyst
That endorsement places Purdy alongside established elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, challenging the media skepticism that has often followed his unflashy playing style.
Elite Processing Power and the Kyle Shanahan Connection
Damien Woody joined the praise on The Herd, comparing Purdy’s mental processing speed directly to Brady’s historic traits.
“I’m absolutely a buyer of Brock Purdy. I think he is one of, if not the best, processors we have in the National Football League.”
Damien Woody
Woody further stated: The way he sees the field and is able to process in such a short period of time, that’s what makes him, in my mind, an elite quarterback.
Woody also noted that Purdy is a very underrated athlete who can use his legs and get out of trouble, adding: His mind is elite. It’s Brady-esque the way he uses his mind to exploit defenses. The combination of him and Kyle Shanahan is a weapon.
Analysts emphasize that the combination of Purdy’s rapid pre-snap reads and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s play-calling creates a formidable weapon.
Pass Protection, Quick Passing, and the Zero-Sack Stat
Beyond his touchdown totals, Purdy stands alone as the only starting quarterback in the NFL who has not been sacked through the first three weeks of the season. Purdy’s offensive line deserves some credit for keeping him clean, as he’s been pressured on a league-low 22% of his dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats. He’s faced only nine quick pressures, tying Kirk Cousins for the fewest in the NFL. Purdy has an average time-to-throw of 2.91 seconds, which is a top-five figure.