Brock Purdy Receives Questionable QB Ranking by NBC Sports' Chris Simms

49ers fans are not going to like where Brock Purdy is ranked.

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Brock Purdy tends to be all over the place whenever it comes to quarterback rankings. It matches the polarizing figure that he is.

That comes with the territory of being the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. The latest quarterback ranking came from Chris Simms of NBC Sports, who gave Purdy a questionable spot.

Purdy is the No. 17- ranked quarterback for Simms entering 2026. That seems a little low for Purdy, which Simms even acknowledged that’d be the reception. Here’s his explanation of the ranking. 

Why Chris Simms ranked Brock Purdy No. 17

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is pressured by Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

“Brock Purdy is an awesome football player. Yes, he’s number 17 and maybe lower than people think,” said Simms on his podcast Unbuttoned. “Of course, he can be surgical. He is that kind of guy, and I don’t want to say he’s ‘system,’ because I know people get triggered by that.

"He’s system plus. He can do more with more, but he’s not gonna do more with less. I don’t think he’s gonna be the guy that’s gonna carry the team and do all that. 

“He is limited in the things he can do throwing the football. There are certain plays and throws that they don’t call because Brock Purdy’s arm is not that.”

A sound explanation

Like it or not, Simms provided fair points about Purdy. He’s definitely not a quarterback who will help the 49ers’ offense if the surrounding pieces aren't impressive.

He's proven that in the past two seasons. In 2024, he's not a quarterback who is going to uplift players or carry the offense to an extent. Last year, when he had pieces around him, it went well.

Purdy was more comfortable and did well optimizing the talent around him. That's what he is. He's an optimizing quarterback when the talent around him is already excellent, and that's perfectly fine.

Besides, it's not like Purdy is some scrub. He's a really solid quarterback who possesses traits that numerous head coaches want in their starter. Even Simms alluded to it in his ranking explanation.

“You get him with a guy like Shanahan, his ability to read the field, feel things when they’re about to come open before anybody else can feel them. Anticipation is amazing. He’s got that ability as well. He does have a variety of throws. He’s a very good athlete to extend plays.”

Ranking Purdy at 17 is a bit too low for my liking. He's perfectly fit to be around No. 10 to 12. Where do you think Purdy ranks for quarterbacks in 2026?

---

Follow Jose on X (Twitter) @JS3sanchezz to interact with him on the 49ers and more.