SANTA CLARA -- Brock Purdy could win the MVP and the Super Bowl this season, and he still might not have the respect of all his peers.
Despite Purdy's pristine statistics and win-loss record, lots of people consider him a system quarterback, meaning a product of Kyle Shanahan's quarterback-friendly scheme, which made Jimmy Garoppolo look like a Pro Bowler, and now he's backs up a rookie on the Raiders.
Former MVP Cam Newton recently called Purdy a game manager, someone whose job is to not turn the ball over and to not lose the game. Newton considered himself a game changer, someone whose job was to score and carry the team to victory.
Calling a quarterback a game manager is a pejorative. It sounds like a compliment, but it's almost always a slight. It means the quarterback lacks confidence and the team lacks trust in him.
On Thursday, I asked Purdy if he considers himself a game manager.
"I don't know," Purdy said. "I don't want to comment on that. Like I said, I'm playing quarterback, trying to win games and we'll see at the end of all of it."
TRANSLATION: No, he doesn't consider himself a freaking game manager.
Purdy is one of the most confident quarterbacks in the NFL. And while he can operate Shanahan's system, Purdy also can improvise and make plays outside of structure. That's not what game managers do.
I admire that Purdy didn't answer the question. He doesn't need to defend his honor. All he needs to do is keep playing at his current level, and everyone will come around eventually.
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