Michael Irvin gives Brock Purdy the best advice he could ever receive ahead of Super Bowl showdown against Chiefs
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are set to kickoff on Sunday evening with a Lombardi trophy on the line. One Dallas Cowboys legend has some advice for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy ahead of his Super Bowl appearance. Legendary wideout Michael Irvin urges Purdy to avoid trying to 'outduel' Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. […]
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are set to kickoff on Sunday evening with a Lombardi trophy on the line. One Dallas Cowboys legend has some advice for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy ahead of his Super Bowl appearance.
Legendary wideout Michael Irvin urges Purdy to avoid trying to 'outduel' Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
It's great advice. No current QB in the NFL can beat Mahomes' talent in a one-on-one battle. Luckily, football involves three phases of the game and plenty of other talented athletes. Purdy does not need to do it all for San Fran for them to reign victorious.
"He has to make the right plays when it's time to make the right plays and that's how you outplay him [Mahomes]… If you try to outduel him, that's exactly how you lose this game. Brock Purdy took home the regular season championship as far as dueling against Patrick Mahomes, because he outplayed him when we look, statistically, at the numbers. He had a better record than Mahomes, he had a better completion percentage, he had more pass yards per attempt, a better touchdown-to-interception ratio, and a better passer rating."
— Irvin via the Super Bowl Sunday edition of NFL GameDay Morning
Irvin mentions the stats, and they back him up. Purdy also beat Mahomes in ESPN's QBR metric and ANY/A. In most categories, his numbers are better than Pat.
That does not change the 'big game' aspect, though. This will be the most pressure of Purdy's career.
Meanwhile, Mahomes has proven over and over that he can dominate on the biggest stage of the NFL. He's trying to win back-to-back Lombardi trophies, one of the toughest tasks in all of sports.
Irvin also relayed the concept that Purdy just needs to do what he has done all season. Play an efficient game – just as the Niners did throughout this year.
"That was his victory. Now, it's about winning the football game, not outdueling Patrick Mahomes. You'll lose the game, trying to do that. You play the game, in front of you, like you played all year." — Irvin
Purdy doesn't need to force anything. Play your game – just like Mahomes will try to play his. If you put too much thinking into solely beating the opposite QB, you will forget the elite defense that you are facing on the field on that day.
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