Former NFL head coach and current football analyst Mike Martz recently compared San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy to club legend and Hall of Famer Joe Montana.
Well-known NFL analyst Brian Baldinger followed in Martz’s footsteps during a conversation with Joe Shasky from San Francisco sports radio station 95.7 The Game.
“Like, you go out and shake Joe Montana’s hand back in the day, there’s nothing that wows you about Joe except the way that he played the game and the fact that he never felt pressure,” Baldinger explained, per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. “And if you need to go have a game-winning Super Bowl drive in the final two minutes, he could be looking at John Candy on the sideline. All that stuff is legendary right now, but maybe that’s what we’re looking at because you shake [Purdy’s] hand, he might have the smallest hands I’ve ever shook from a quarterback. And then you look at his frame, he doesn’t have a big frame.”
After Purdy completed 21-of-25 passes for 333 yards with three touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating in this past Sunday’s 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned that the 23-year-old’s arm is “definitely stronger than what we thought it was when” San Francisco selected Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
While Purdy may not have all the physical traits possessed by recent Most Valuable Player Award winners such as Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson, Baldinger noted the second-year pro has already made believers out of his teammates.
“They know they’re playing with an elite player,” Baldinger added about Purdy and the 49ers. “They know it. And so the outside noise is, ‘He can’t throw the deep. Oh, his arm strength. Oh, he’s a product of the system.’ It’s like just white noise to them right now.”
According to ESPN stats, Purdy enters Week 12 leading the NFL among qualified players with a 77.0 adjusted QBR, a 115.1 passer rating and an average of 9.7 yards per pass attempt on the season. He’s thus far tossed 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions for the 7-3 Niners.
As of Tuesday afternoon, oddschecker listed the 49ers as 6.5-point favorites for the upcoming Thursday night game at the 6-4 Seattle Seahawks.
More must-reads:
Raiders Predicted To Pull Off Justin Fields Trade With Bears
NFL
New mock draft predicts Bears won’t select USC QB Caleb Williams
Although many scouts believe Southern Cal’s Caleb Williams is the top quarterback in this year’s class, a new mock draft has the Chicago Bears taking a different signal-caller. Connor Livesay of The 33rd Team predicts Chicago will select Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu with the first overall pick and North Carolina QB Drake Maye with the fourth pick. “Justin Fields is auditioning for the Bears’ starting QB job for the remainder of the season, and the team could look to replace him even if he’s on the roster in 2024,” wrote Livesay. “While Fields could earn himself more leash, adding a QB to the mix is likely the best decision for the Bears long-term because Fields has not shown enough to warrant passing on a QB of Maye’s caliber.” Maye has impressed in three seasons with the Tar Heels. The 21-year-old has completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 7,764 yards, 61 TDs, 14 interceptions and a 155.5 passer rating. The Bears have allowed 32 sacks this season, tied for the sixth most in the NFL. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. recently rated Fashanu as his No. 1 offensive tackle. Even though Williams might be a better prospect than Maye, it’s smart for Chicago to address two key needs. After all, a quarterback, no matter how talented, isn’t worth much if the line can’t keep him upright. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported the Bears “would have to be blown away” to draft a QB, but Fields hasn’t proved he’s the answer. In three seasons, the former first-round pick has a 6-26 record and has completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 35 TDs and 27 interceptions. Don’t be surprised if the Bears (3-7) move on from Fields this offseason and enter rebuilding mode with a new QB, even if it’s not Caleb Williams.
Drew Brees explains why he could no longer make an NFL comeback
NFL
Insider predicts Patriots will trade Bill Belichick to AFC West team
It’s apparent the New England Patriots will probably move on from head coach Bill Belichick this offseason, but will he coach elsewhere in 2024? Longtime NFL reporter Sal Paolantonio predicts the organization will trade the six-time Super Bowl champion and floated the Los Angeles Chargers as a potential destination. “They’re not going to fire Bill Belichick. They’re going to trade Bill Belichick,” Paloantonio said Tuesday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “So, this is the big decision. [Owner] Robert Kraft and [president] Jonathan Kraft have to sit down with Belichick and say, ‘Alright, we have a big opportunity. You have an opportunity to perhaps go to the L.A. Chargers.'” This wouldn’t be the first time Belichick has been traded. In 2000, the Patriots dealt a first-, fourth- and seventh-rounder to the New York Jets to acquire the HC. Although trading for the future Hall of Famer would be costly, he would be an upgrade over Chargers HC Brandon Staley, who’s reportedly on the hot seat after a 4-6 start. In three seasons with Los Angeles, Staley has a 23-21 record and no playoff wins. Also, the Chargers have lost 21 games by three points or less during his tenure, per Statmuse. Since future HOFer Tom Brady left New England in 2020, Belichick has a losing record (27-33), but he might rebound with Justin Herbert. The Chargers QB has thrown the fourth-most TDs in the NFL (113) over the past four seasons. If the Chargers move on from Staley, they must make a big move to reestablish themselves as Super Bowl contenders. So, why wouldn’t they try to acquire an HC with the third-most wins (300) in league history?
Cardinals continue to pursue pitching
NFL
QB trainer shares bold claim about Jets’ Tim Boyle
Well-respected quarterback trainer Tony Racioppi of the TEST Football Academy in New Jersey spent time this offseason working with Tim Boyle of the New York Jets and suggested Boyle could be an ideal replacement for the benched Zach Wilson. “We would have 4-10 Jets receivers and tight ends come throw with us in the summer, and Tim would run the whole thing,” Racioppi recently told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “He’d tell you, ‘Here’s the route concept I want to throw today, and here is the exact split, the exact formation, where you should catch the ball.’ All next-level stuff, speaking their language.” Like Week 1 Jets starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Boyle worked under Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett when all three were with the Green Bay Packers during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. While Boyle has thrown only 120 career regular-season passes since the start of the 2019 campaign, the Jets are hoping his familiarity with Hackett’s offense will help him find success when 4-6 New York hosts the 7-3 Miami Dolphins Friday afternoon. “He’s a guy you want in there because you know the ball is going to go to the right place nine out of 10 times,” Racioppi added about Boyle. “He can change protections and call out the hot [routes] — all the stuff you do as a pro. He has a top 25-30 arm [strength] in all of the NFL — can make every throw on the field pretty effortlessly.” Wilson served as New York’s QB1 since Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles early into the regular-season opener until head coach Robert Saleh sat the 24-year-old during this past Sunday’s 32-6 loss at the Buffalo Bills. According to ESPN stats, the Jets enter Week 12 ranked 30th in the league with an average of 270.3 offensive yards per game and 30th in scoring with 15 points per contest. Journeyman Trevor Siemian is now Boyle’s primary backup and could play against Miami if Boyle looks no better than Wilson at MetLife Stadium. As of Tuesday afternoon, oddschecker listed the Boyle-led Jets as 10-point underdogs for Friday’s matchup.
Cowboys: Colts insider has words of warning regarding available All-Pro
Soccer
How to watch Brazil vs Argentina in live stream: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers TV…
The Brazil vs Argentina game will start today, November 21, at 7:30 PM ET in the Maracana Stadium. Here is everything you need to know about how to watch the South American Clásico in the Matchday 6 of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. You can watch it through Fanatiz by purchasing the pay-per-view (PPV). Click here to watch Brazil vs Argentina live on Fanatiz: Get the PPV! Brazil form Brazil comes into this intense duel against Argentina after suffering two consecutive defeats, the latest being a 2-1 loss to Colombia last Thursday. Fernando Diniz’s team is currently in fifth place in the standings with 7 points. It has been three games since the Canarinha last secured a victory in the tournament, having garnered only one point from the last nine contested. Today’s match is crucial because it is played against a historic rival, with the aim of defending a crucial stat: Brazil has never lost as a host in CONMEBOL qualifiers. The Brazilian team will be without key figures such as Ederson, Danilo, Casemiro, Neymar, and Vinicius Jr, all of whom are injured. Brazil possible lineup Alisson, Emerson Royal, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Carlos Augusto; André, Bruno Guimarães; Raphinha, Gabriel Jesús, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli. Coach: Fernando Diniz. Argentina form Argentina will seek to win in Rio de Janeiro to maintain its position as the leader of the qualifiers. Lionel Scaloni’s team lost its unbeaten record against Uruguay, falling 2-0 in Buenos Aires last Thursday. The objective for the Argentinians is to win the historic derby in Brazil, causing the Brazilian team to suffer its first home defea
