The 49ers’ rookie quarterback, Brock Purdy, is a rising star on the verge of making history, as he could be the first NFL rookie quarterback ever to guide his team to the Superbowl.
But that’s not what’s most important to Purdy, nor is it what many love most about him. That would be his Christian faith, which he has made central to his personality and career, always putting his faith first after his recent string of victories.
In fact, Purdy has made faith so central to him and highlighted it in such a major way that he was praised by Rev. Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, for it in a Facebook post. Rev. Graham, the president of Samaritans Purse and an evangelist much like his father, said:
Congratulations to QB Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers on their win last night over the Dallas Cowboys! They’re now just one game away from the Super Bowl! In addition to being a super talented football player, I love the fact that Brock Purdy is so open about his faith in Jesus Christ. He told the media his secret, “I’m a faith-based guy so that’s how I stay grounded…at the end of the day I know that I’m not defined by the wins or losses as a person.” I haven’t rooted for the 49ers since Joe Montana, but I’m sure pulling for them now!
And when Rev. Graham says that Purdy is “open about his faith in Jesus Christ,” he really means “open about his faith in Jesus Christ,” with emphasis on the “open” part. For example, Purdy, during a recent interview, said that his faith is far more important to him that football, saying:
“It’s been football, man. I don’t try to make it more than it is. I’m a faith-based guy, so that’s how I stay grounded. I don’t look at football like it’s literally everything. It’s (not) do or die or anything like that.
“It’s a game and it’s my job, for sure, and I take it very seriously, but at the end of the day, I know that I’m not defined by the wins or losses as a person, like, that’s not who I am. I’m not just a quarterback. I wasn’t born to just to be a quarterback and play football, and that’s it. Like, I have a life and everything like that.
“And I remember that, but at the same time, man, I’m a competitor. I love to compete. I want to win at all costs and so, I’ve been enjoying that as well, so that’s where I’m at. That’s how I stay grounded with it all, but I’m definitely thankful and blessed to be here.”
Similarly, back in December, he said “You go out there, you prepare as best you can, you get better every single day at practice, and once you get your opportunity, it’s ‘What are you going to do with it?’ For me, I believe in the Lord, and I trust in Him. I just go out there, and I just play.”
And, back in 2021, he opened up about his faith and said he asked God to forgive him for, during his college football career, putting the game before God, something he hasn’t done again. In his words:
“It was just a great reminder of where my identity is, where it lies. And it’s in Jesus. And I continue to lean on Him. Again, the next day I didn’t go out and throw for 500 yards and was this awesome quarterback, but it was just this peace that I had with Him knowing that, ‘Hey, no matter what I’m going to face moving forward during college football, God and Jesus are going to be my identity. And whatever I face, I won’t be shaken from it.’ I’ve got a great foundation in Him.”
And it’s not just interviews in which Purdy talks about his faith. He also did so in a 2021 Instagram post, saying “The Lord is my rock and I will not be shaken. I love you boys and will go to war with y’all time and time again. Roll Clones🌪”
By: Will Tanner. Follow me on Twitter @Will_Tanner_1
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