[Mick]

While I am a big believer in Shanahan as a coach, this team has hardly been the Greatest Show on Turf over his years. 
Since Shanahan took over, we've finished 6th, 13th, 21st, 2nd, 21st, and 20th in points per game. This is not illustrative of "plug in generic QB" and you get amazing results, as we've seen with Beathard and Johnson and Mullens

I get that until we see Purdy lead a comeback in the super bowl we shouldn't call him better then Mahomes. But he's done essentially everything else to belong in the conversation of the elite NFL QBs.

Apropos of nothing, I was on a clickbait site that ranked backup QBs from #32 (worst) to #1. Darnold was considered #8, eighth best. Former SF QBs Hoyer (6 SF starts, 0-6) was #24, Gabbert (13 SF starts, 4-9) was #21, Mullens (16 SF starts, 5-11) was #18 and Beathard (12 SF starts, 2-10) was #14. No wonder their records were -- ahem -- "non-elite." Gardner Minshew was considered the best backup QB, Andy Dalton was second-best.

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Elite QB status is reserved for Super Bowl winners.  It is all about winning.  

Otherwise, you find yourself in the “great numbers but show me the Lombardi your team won” category (Hi, Dan Marino).  

IMO, there are only three elite QB’s currently in the league - Rodgers, Stafford and Mahomes.  There a number of guys who could bump up but still have something to prove - that they can lead their team to a championship.

I've always considered this argument specious. Relying on 21 other guys to vault you into elite territory doesn't seem to have a lot of validity.

Hence a certain former 2x Super Bowl winner's failure to be elected to the NFL HoF...

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I continue to find it comical how people insist on putting an asterisk on Purdy, and taking away from his performance. If he's the best in the NFL by the measures used to assess the best QB performance, how in the hell can people say he isn't gifted, elite, or special? At some point, the efficiency with which he plays is going to be recognized.

Most people assume that if he didn't have the incredible roster around him that he has he wouldn't be able to elevate the team. But, if he's able to make decisions like he does, move as he can, and execute the throws he can make, how can this be assumed? In college you see QBs have success because they have great talent around them. I don't think this is ever the case in the NFL. If you see things right, quickly, and are accurate with the ball, you will have success.

That said, it's hard to decide who is more valuable on the Niners, FHOF Purdy or FHOF CMac. CMac seems like the MVP given how truly unique and rare his abilities are. In any case, I have to think if a team has this combo, it's got a good shot to be a Super Bowl winner.

The only thing we haven't seen Purdy do is win a shootout game when the defense can't stop anyone, or otherwise lead a comeback in 4th quarter. He's almost always playing from ahead or even.

Agreed. It's actually a bit surprising we aren't hearing more about Purdy as an elite NFL QB, and not just as a "good QB for Shanahan's system"

While I am a big believer in Shanahan as a coach, this team has hardly been the Greatest Show on Turf over his years. 
Since Shanahan took over, we've finished 6th, 13th, 21st, 2nd, 21st, and 20th in points per game. This is not illustrative of "plug in generic QB" and you get amazing results, as we've seen with Beathard and Johnson and Mullens

I get that until we see Purdy lead a comeback in the super bowl we shouldn't call him better then Mahomes. But he's done essentially everything else to belong in the conversation of the elite NFL QBs.

IMHO, it's just a case of confirmation bias. He wasn't picked by the experts in colleges, in the pros, or in the draft. He wasn't a media darling. His so-called measurables don't jump off the page. He was Mr. Irrelevant in the draft. Ergo...he couldn't possibly be a great quarterback, because we didn't think he could be. Therefore, it must be the system, Shanahan, the players around him, his astrological chart...there's always an excuse for people whose minds are already made up.

[Mick]

While I am a big believer in Shanahan as a coach, this team has hardly been the Greatest Show on Turf over his years. 
Since Shanahan took over, we've finished 6th, 13th, 21st, 2nd, 21st, and 20th in points per game. This is not illustrative of "plug in generic QB" and you get amazing results, as we've seen with Beathard and Johnson and Mullens

I get that until we see Purdy lead a comeback in the super bowl we shouldn't call him better then Mahomes. But he's done essentially everything else to belong in the conversation of the elite NFL QBs.

Apropos of nothing, I was on a clickbait site that ranked backup QBs from #32 (worst) to #1. Darnold was considered #8, eighth best. Former SF QBs Hoyer (6 SF starts, 0-6) was #24, Gabbert (13 SF starts, 4-9) was #21, Mullens (16 SF starts, 5-11) was #18 and Beathard (12 SF starts, 2-10) was #14. No wonder their records were -- ahem -- "non-elite." Gardner Minshew was considered the best backup QB, Andy Dalton was second-best.

---

Elite QB status is reserved for Super Bowl winners.  It is all about winning.  

Otherwise, you find yourself in the “great numbers but show me the Lombardi your team won” category (Hi, Dan Marino).  

IMO, there are only three elite QB’s currently in the league - Rodgers, Stafford and Mahomes.  There a number of guys who could bump up but still have something to prove - that they can lead their team to a championship.

I've always considered this argument specious. Relying on 21 other guys to vault you into elite territory doesn't seem to have a lot of validity.

Hence a certain former 2x Super Bowl winner's failure to be elected to the NFL HoF...

---

I continue to find it comical how people insist on putting an asterisk on Purdy, and taking away from his performance. If he's the best in the NFL by the measures used to assess the best QB performance, how in the hell can people say he isn't gifted, elite, or special? At some point, the efficiency with which he plays is going to be recognized.

Most people assume that if he didn't have the incredible roster around him that he has he wouldn't be able to elevate the team. But, if he's able to make decisions like he does, move as he can, and execute the throws he can make, how can this be assumed? In college you see QBs have success because they have great talent around them. I don't think this is ever the case in the NFL. If you see things right, quickly, and are accurate with the ball, you will have success.

That said, it's hard to decide who is more valuable on the Niners, FHOF Purdy or FHOF CMac. CMac seems like the MVP given how truly unique and rare his abilities are. In any case, I have to think if a team has this combo, it's got a good shot to be a Super Bowl winner.

The only thing we haven't seen Purdy do is win a shootout game when the defense can't stop anyone, or otherwise lead a comeback in 4th quarter. He's almost always playing from ahead or even.

Agreed. It's actually a bit surprising we aren't hearing more about Purdy as an elite NFL QB, and not just as a "good QB for Shanahan's system"

While I am a big believer in Shanahan as a coach, this team has hardly been the Greatest Show on Turf over his years. 
Since Shanahan took over, we've finished 6th, 13th, 21st, 2nd, 21st, and 20th in points per game. This is not illustrative of "plug in generic QB" and you get amazing results, as we've seen with Beathard and Johnson and Mullens

I get that until we see Purdy lead a comeback in the super bowl we shouldn't call him better then Mahomes. But he's done essentially everything else to belong in the conversation of the elite NFL QBs.

IMHO, it's just a case of confirmation bias. He wasn't picked by the experts in colleges, in the pros, or in the draft. He wasn't a media darling. His so-called measurables don't jump off the page. He was Mr. Irrelevant in the draft. Ergo...he couldn't possibly be a great quarterback, because we didn't think he could be. Therefore, it must be the system, Shanahan, the players around him, his astrological chart...there's always an excuse for people whose minds are already made up.