Few sporting positions are more lucrative than an NFL quarterback. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor’s new deal will pay him $42 million, which is no small amount. Yet nine different quarterbacks will make more this season than Taylor will make over the length of his contract. It pays to be a QB, especially a starting one. Unless, of course, you’re San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
In that case, you’re the biggest bargain in the league, maybe in the entire history of the NFL.
As of this writing, Purdy hasn’t lost a regular-season game with the 49ers. He has the best quarterback rating in the entire league. He’s completed nearly three out of every four passes. He’s an early contender for league MVP. And, through no fault of its own, San Francisco will pay him less than $1 million this season — and again next season.
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Purdy was “Mr. Irrelevant” in 2022, taken with the 262nd and very final pick of the NFL Draft. He began last season as the third-string quarterback but was hoisted into starting duty after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Niners reached the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Purdy’s luck finally ran out. He hurt his elbow, effectively rendering him useless as a passer. San Francisco lost 31-7.
Lance and Garoppolo are both on new teams, meaning Purdy is the main guy in San Francisco. Despite offseason elbow surgery, he’s absolutely lived up to the hype. He looks like a confident passer who’s played for a dozen years, not a dozen games. Yet, because of league rules for rookies, Purdy is on a set salary for his first three seasons in the NFL.
Let’s look at some wild comparisons.
Purdy’s contract will pay him an average of $930,000 per season. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, who signed the largest deal in NFL history in terms of average annual value just before the season started, will make $55 million per year.
Jalen Hurts, the opposing quarterback in the NFC Championship Game, inked a $255 million extension this offseason. Purdy’s entire contract is worth about $3.73 million.
Defensive end Travon Walker, the first pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, will earn $37.3 million over four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars — ten times what Purdy’s deal is worth. Walker’s contract is fully guaranteed, too; Purdy’s deal only has $77,012 in guarantees.
Among the league’s 84 NFL quarterbacks, Purdy is the 80th highest-paid. He’s not even in the top 1,000 in salary among all NFL players.
There’s a reason the final pick is called “Mr. Irrelevant.” He’s not supposed to see the field or impact the team in any meaningful way. Purdy has shifted that notion on its head entirely. He’s become the most valuable player in the league, both on the field and financially.
The 49ers better make the most of Purdy’s low salary this year and next. He can’t negotiate a deal until the 2024 offseason — but when he does, he’s going to score a huge payday.