San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Rams-49ers game will make NFL history

By Nicholas Nathanson | Last updated 9/14/23

The 49ers-Rams rivalry has been brewing for a while, making headlines most recently with the 2022 NFC Championship game, when the Rams defeated the 49ers 20-17. As the two teams fight it out for an early lead in the NFC West, the upcoming edition is set to make NFL history.

When Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy face off on Sunday, it'll be the first time that a quarterback taken No. 1 overall in the NFL draft (Matthew Stafford, 2008) faces off against a quarterback taken last in the draft (Brock Purdy, 2022).

A one of a kind QB matchup

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— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 14, 2023

Prior to the 2022 NFL Draft, five quarterbacks had been taken with the last pick since the nickname "Mr. Irrelevant" was introduced in 1976, highlighting the draft's last pick. Of those five, four never took a snap. The only player to take a snap was Chad Kelly, drafted in 2017, who took one single snap with the Broncos.

In six regular-season games as a starter, Purdy is a perfect 6-0, becoming the only quarterback since at least 1950 to throw for multiple touchdown passes each game and win all of them, per NFL.Com's Kevin Patra.

Stafford, the 2008 No. 1 overall pick, led the Rams to a Super Bowl title back in 2022.

In a matchup where history will be made between a quarterback drafted with the first pick versus picked last, it is the latter's team that is favored by -7.5.

Kickoff is set for Sunday, September 17 at 4:05 p.m. EST from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

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