Purdy vs. Mahomes: Compared to his opponent, a Super Bowl quarterback looks like a poor man
At the Super Bowl, Brock Purdy can cap his fairy tale story with a happy ending. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback was once known as “Mr. Irrelevant” to the NFL. He now knows the biggest star in the league in Patrick Mahomes. Nowhere is the difference between the two clearer than when it comes to salary.
the one who has one
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When the final round of the NFL Draft, the process of selecting college players, is underway, the names of the selected players are normally only shown without comment on NFL Network, the broadcaster in the United States. Many of these players are only known to absolute college football experts.
But when it comes to the last player, attention increases again. The young footballer selected last in the draft receives the ironic title of “Mr. Irrelevant.” The annual honoree even receives a jersey with the number 262, a position in which he is selected by an NFL team.
Mr. Irrelevant rarely manages to leave a lasting impression on the league; only a few have played in an NFL game.
Purdy will surprisingly become a starter for the San Francisco 49ers in 2022
Brock Purdy will be Mr. Irrelevant in 2022. The Iowa State quarterback is selected 262nd overall by the San Francisco 49ers.
With the Niners he even made the team after a grueling preseason and offseason, but he's only the number three at the position behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The then 22-year-old didn't expect to get playing time.
But first Lance gets injured and then Garoppolo is out mid-season. Suddenly, Purdy is pulling the strings at the most important position in football for one of the big title favorites. Purdy is relevant now.
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And surprises everyone. Not even his biggest fans saw what the kid from Arizona would do in the San Francisco Bay Area. Week after week he impresses as a playmaker and leads the Niners to the playoffs.
The Rise of the Fairy Tale almost came to a cheesy, romantic ending in the first season. But in the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Purdy injured the elbow of his throwing arm; without him, San Francisco lost to the Eagles.
Purdy has gone from Mr. Irrelevant to one of the best quarterbacks
In his second year, everyone involved with the egg-shaped ball knows Purdy. He is no longer a stranger, he is no longer an irrelevant gentleman. He enters the season as the Niners' starting quarterback.
In this position, he once again leads his team to the playoffs and is even considered MVP, the most valuable player of the year. Purdy's name is at the top of all statistics.
Whether he actually becomes the MVP or if he is the Baltimore Ravens' favorite Lamar Jackson is (pun intended) irrelevant. Because Purdy plays differently than Jackson in the Super Bowl. He and his team aspire to the really important title.
In Las Vegas, the circle comes full circle for the 24-year-old. The draft was held here about two years ago, and his team will now face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.
The quarterback duel in the Super Bowl: Purdy versus Mahomes
At quarterback there are two completely different players: on the one hand, the often underrated Purdy. On the other hand, Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes is the league's megastar and is considered the best player in the NFL. In his six years as a quarterback, he always led the Chiefs to the Conference Finals, to the semifinals. He is now in the final for the fourth time and is chasing his third title. At 28 years old he is already one of the best players in NFL history.
But shortly before the Super Bowl, Mahomes praises his counterpart. “I had watched Brock play since college and knew how good he was,” the Chiefs leader said. “He was a winner and made important plays throughout his college career. If you can turn around a program in college like he did at Iowa State, you can do it in the NFL, no matter the environment.”
He wasn't “very surprised” by the 49ers quarterback's success. “He is a guy who goes out and delivers.”
The difference with Mahomes is clear in terms of salary.
Nowhere is the difference between the two playmakers clearer than when it comes to salary. Mahomes signed a ten-year contract in 2020 that will pay him a record $450,000 million. His average annual salary is 45 million.
Purdy will receive a base salary of around $870,000 for the current season. That's not even two percent of what Mahomes makes. In the league comparison, Purdy is only ranked 89th out of a total of 96 playmakers. So for him salary and performance don't match at all.
In fact, from a contractual point of view, it is a disadvantage for him to have been selected last and, therefore, not be able to negotiate with the teams.
The contracts of selected players are subject to strict rules and depend on draft position. Players' room for maneuver is limited. Purdy signed a four-year contract worth a total of $3.74 million. If he hadn't come to the Niners in the official draft, he could have renegotiated after his second season. So the big payday for him probably won't come until 2025. A Super Bowl ring will certainly help him in negotiations.
The story of Brock Purdy is already one of the most beautiful sports stories in recent years. From Mr. Irrelevant to quarterback in the Super Bowl. The great rise of an overlooked talent against all odds. The end will be David against Goliath.
It's all a fairy tale. Will there be a happy ending?
domination