Rams' Matthew Stafford, 49ers' Brock Purdy Set To Make NFL History
Sunday's matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers isn't just a showdown between two bitter rivals looking to stay undefeated, it also represents a piece of NFL history.
It may not seem like it at first, but thanks to both team's quarterbacks, it is indeed the case. In one corner, there's Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, a 15-year veteran and the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. In the other, there's 49ers signal-caller Brock Purdy, who is in just his second season after being the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
As NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano notes, Sunday's game will mark the first time that a former No. 1 overall quarterback faces off against another quarterback who was "Mr. Irrelevant."
Although Purdy is just in his second season, he has a solid argument to be the best "Mr. Irrelevant" of all time. That's admittedly not that high of a bar, but it's hard to underestimate how prolific the 49ers have been since he took over. In Purdy's nine starts, San Francisco has gone 8-1 with the lone loss coming in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which Purdy barely played in due to injury.
Of course, Stafford has had quite the career himself as well. The former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback has put up prolific stats throughout his 15 seasons, and guided the Rams to a Super Bowl in 2021, his first season with the team. On Sunday, the 35-year-old proved he can still sling it by completing 24 of 38 passes for 338 yards against the Seattle Seahawks while missing star receiver Cooper Kupp.
While Stafford has draft position and career accolades on his side, Purdy's 49ers are sizable favorites heading into Sunday's game. Stafford and the Rams will be looking to prove the doubters wrong yet again, just as they did in their season opener.
