Brock Purdy is brushing off the naysayers and nicknames ahead of Super Bowl LVIII. When Purdy, 24, spoke to reporters during Super Bowl’s opening night in Las Vegas on Monday, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback said he’s unbothered by the “Mr. Irrelevant” nickname previously bestowed on him by NFL fans.
Purdy was drafted No. 262 and last in the 2022 NFL Draft, earning him the moniker “Mr. Irrelevant,” which is always given to the player chosen with that final pick. But after former 49ers quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance suffered injuries last year, Purdy snagged the starter spot, and he’s never looked back. Now, he finds himself days away from a Super Bowl appearance.
When asked if he’d like to suggest a new, more accurate, nickname for himself should his team take home the Vince Lombardi trophy on Sunday, Purdy said he doesn’t care what people call him. “I’m gonna be honest — I really don’t care,” Purdy said. The recently engaged NFL star explained, “If it’s gonna be ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ still, great, I love it, but if that’s the case, then I’m gonna continue to wear it with pride.”
Purdy ended his response by saying, “So, it’s all good.” In response to another question on Monday, Purdy reflected on the surrealness of playing on the NFL’s biggest stage. “The bottom line is, life isn’t about you. That’s what I believe,” Purdy told reporters, adding that he feels like “a part of something bigger” than just himself.
“You know, you get wrapped up in getting all the glory and the fame and the status, and I feel like that’s a shallow life and that can fade away pretty quickly,” Purdy continued. “So for me, obviously we’re playing in the Super Bowl. I’m very honored and thankful; I wanna win a championship for this organization, but more than anything, I’m trying to just serve my guys on this team well,” Purdy added.
In October, the 49ers quarterback made headlines when he revealed that, despite his ascendant on-the-field success, he keeps things humble at home. “So I still have a roommate, one of the offensive lineman here,” Purdy told the Today show. “So he and I are, you know, still splitting rent.”
The NFL star also shared that he “still” drives a Toyota Sequoia during his appearance on the show. For Purdy — who makes $870,000 a year while living in the country’s third-most expensive city — the streamlined life is seemingly working. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs will kick off Super Bowl LVIII this Sunday, Feb. 11, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
