Chris Simms: 49ers Would Have Won Super Bowl with Jordan Love at QB

I disagree with Simms.

Sep 7, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms on field prior to a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Suddenly, it's Brock Purdy's fault the 49ers didn't win the Super Bowl this year.

Not the head coach who abandoned the run with a lead in the second half and didn't know the overtime rules. Not the running back who fumbled in the red zone. Not the tight end who forgot to jump on the loose ball. Not the starting wide receivers who caught a combined 6 passes of 17 targets. Not the offensive line that gave up pressure on 57 percent of the pass plays. No, blame Purdy.

That's what Chris Simms recently did.

"If Jordan Love played in the Super Bowl, the 49ers would be the Super Bowl champions," Simms said. As if Purdy is the main reason the 49ers lost.

"If you went back [to the NFC Divisional game], Jordan Love had the two interceptions at the end of the game," Simms continued. "Jordan Love in that game played better than Brock Purdy. Brock Purdy should have thrown seven interceptions in that game. He got lucky that night. We'd all be talking differently if Green Bay could catch.

Sure, Chris, but that doesn't mean the 49ers would have won the Super Bowl if Love were their quarterback.

"When the Shanahan Specials are working on all cylinders, there's not a lot that Purdy does to bring the offense back up," Simms said. "Now, he does more than Jimmy Garoppolo used to do and it's definitely an improvement in that and all areas, but I'd still like to see some more. And there are more missed throws than people realize. But nobody cares because Shanahan dialed up a play and they're so good that somebody is wide open the next play for a 40-yard gain. A lot of quarterbacks in football don't have that luxury where they can miss a wide-open 30-yard throw and it's no big deal because a guy will be open the next drive."

I don't remember Purdy missing any wide-open 30-yard throws in the Super Bowl. But I do remember Shanahan's run game averaging 3.5 yards per carry and his pass-protection scheme giving up 9 unblocked rushers. Oh, and I seem to remember him winning the coin toss in overtime and electing to receive the ball for some ridiculous reason that blew up in his face.

So I disagree with Simms. I think the 49ers would have found a way to lose that Super Bowl no matter who their quarterback was because Kyle Shanahan is the Pablo Picasso of choke artists.

He has no one to blame but himself.