How Brock Purdy’s spiritual approach powers 49ers to playoff success

Brock Purdy's performance showed why he is paid the big bucks.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) leaves the field after an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Despite throwing two interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brock Purdy's winning drive in the fourth quarter helped the San Francisco 49ers advance to the Divisional Round of the 2025 playoffs.

Purdy was always going to have a tough time against the Eagles’ defense. It's one of the best in the NFC, but with all the pressure on him to convert a crucial drive at the end, he duly delivered.

He is now tied for the fifth-most game-winning drives in playoff history, with four, achieved in just his seventh postseason match.

Brock Purdy's spiritual approach helped him power through and clinch victory

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Everyone knows how seriously Purdy practices his faith. It’s one of his core values, and his belief in God unlocks a new dimension of his mentality that deserves more attention.

The 49ers were down 19-17 following Purdy's second interception, but they had ample time to move up the field. Purdy, who had looked far from his best, remained as cool, calm, and composed as ever, helping the 49ers advance before connecting with Christian McCaffrey for the touchdown.

Speaking with reporters postgame, Purdy shared more about his faith and how he applies it in football: "I mean, the game's still there to go take. So, I was just being real with myself, leaning into my faith and understanding that I got to hold all this loosely but try to go do God's will. That's every drive.

"So, I just keep my mind fresh and go play one play at a time. Every play is a life on its own and still has that attack mentality in every single play. So, I did it."

"There's been times in my career and growing up there's moments where it's like, 'Man, you got to go win it here.' In that moment, you can start thinking to yourself all the worst possible scenarios.

"So, just learning from those kind of things. When there's a moment like this, it's like, 'No, there's a moment right there for you to go take.' So being aggressive, but being smart and playing one play at a time and obvioiusly just believing in yourself.

"For me, I'm a faithful man, so at the end of the day I leave that all up to God, so I'm going to go out there and give it my all and see what happens. So that's how I view it."

Ultimately, there’s more to life than football. But Purdy is proving time and again that he embodies the past, present, and future of the San Francisco 49ers.