Brock Purdy endorses Christian McCaffrey for MVP after 49ers win NFC West
Week 15 might be looked back on as the point in the season where Brock Purdy took definitive control of the MVP race. But the San Francisco 49ers quarterback endorsed one of his teammates following their 45-29 blowout of the Arizona Cardinals, which clinched a second successive NFC West title. Purdy threw four touchdowns in […]
Week 15 might be looked back on as the point in the season where Brock Purdy took definitive control of the MVP race.
But the San Francisco 49ers quarterback endorsed one of his teammates following their 45-29 blowout of the Arizona Cardinals, which clinched a second successive NFC West title.
Purdy threw four touchdowns in a successful homecoming for the Arizona native, with two of them thrown to Christian McCaffrey, who also rushed for a score in another dominant performance from the 49ers' running back.
McCaffrey's hat-trick took his tally for the season against the Cardinals to seven, becoming only the fifth player to score seven touchdowns against the same opponent in the same season in the Super Bowl era, joining Jamaal Charles, LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk and Lydell Mitchell in that exclusive club.
He now has 20 for the season, tied with former 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, now of the Miami Dolphins, for the most in the NFL.
While Purdy is now the clear favorite in the betting odds, the 49ers' signal-caller made it clear he would give his vote to McCaffrey.
"I think Christian should be MVP, I really do believe that," Purdy told his post-game press conference. "He does everything for us, runs the ball, catches the ball, he does everything so in my eyes that's an MVP."
McCaffrey finished with 187 yards from scrimmage along with his three scores, making history on several fronts in the process.
He became the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in four-or-more career seasons, following in the footsteps of Faulk (five seasons), Thurman Thomas and Tiki Barber (both four). McCaffrey previously went 1,000-500 in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
On top of that, McCaffrey joined Faulk and 49ers legend Roger Craig in becoming only the third player ever with at least 6,000 rushing yards and 4,000 receiving yards in his first seven seasons.
McCaffrey has an impeccable resume and the 2023 season has been one in which he has made history week after week.
If Purdy was making the decision, McCaffrey would be the first non-quarterback to win MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Right now, however, the overwhelming likelihood is that Purdy will continue the run of quarterbacks by winning the NFL's top individual honor in his first full season as San Francisco's starting quarterback.
49ers’ Charvarius Ward justifies his major gamble in best possible way
It paid off big time.
