The San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl opening night media availability took place on Monday night and questions surrounding a specific topic kept coming up: Brock Purdy.

You knew it, I knew it, everyone knew the inevitable questions would come down the pipe. Is Purdy legit? When did they know Mr. Irrelevant was going to turn out to be quite significant in Niners history? And what do they make out of such criticisms. 

While Purdy himself seems unbothered about the whole thing, head coach Kyle Shanahan had the most telling and insightful responses regarding his player. Talking to NFL Network, he detailed what was "so real" about Purdy all along.

When asked about owner Jed York's revelation that Shanahan told him Purdy was the best quarterback on the Niners back in training camp of 2022. Kyle admitted it was more out of irritation than outright praise for Brock.

"It's funny to hear just say that because it wasn't the smartest moment I've ever had," Shanahan said. "I mean, when an owner comes in after training camp practices, and it's like, Hey, how's the quarterback and what he means is the starter or the second and you in irritation go 'I don't know. But our third guy is the best.' Like that's not what he wants to hear. So that's why he remembers that very strongly."

Even still, Shanahan saw the obvious. Purdy was consistent. Impressively so. And he couldn't ignore it. 

"That was just more, Brock was so good right away with every rep he got," the Niners coach explained. "He was always the same. And he only got a couple of them. So it was easy for me to say because in his few reps, he was the best. But if you know that for a fact, I mean, you do what you do right away. But he was the best. But you ease that on and every time he got a little more reps, it was the same as when he got two."

Shanahan destroys "game manager" narrative with great explanation

Most of Shanahan's insight came when he was asked about the popular narrative that Purdy, who led the NFL in EPA/play is nothing but a game manager. While many use that to knock the young QB, in Shanahan's eyes, Purdy is exactly that and his insight flipped the entire conversation on its head. 

The thing is that isn't anything bad for a quarterback but a needed trait to be a great one.

"It's such a weird conversation and you hear the whole world talk about this but like, in my opinion there's no such thing as a great quarterback if you can't be a game manager," an honest Shanahan confessed. "Like, the job of a quarterback is to manage the game and it is to run the system. The systems are what you work on all week."

Now granted, it's not all about perfectly executing a system but having an ace under your sleeve every once in a while. Shanahan went on to explain there are three things you need to be a consistent quarterback in the NFL and it's clear Purdy fits the description. 

"There's going to be times where you have no answers," he admitted. "And if you want to stay there, you better make some place and that's how you become a consistent quarterback. You're a game manager. You run the system right. And you can make plays. And if you don't have those three things, it's a matter of time. One game, two games, two years it's a matter of time, but Brock does all three of those things so I don't get what we're talking about."

So, game manager? Heck yeah, Brock is one. Let them hate. They're really just praising the kid. 

49ers’ Brock Purdy draws major respect from Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes ahead of Super Bowl 58

Strong take.