Brock Purdy’s playmaking shined during the 49ers’ win over the Titans on Sunday, his best game in a season that has been hampered by a turf toe injury. In San Francisco’s fourth straight win, Purdy executed a number of off-schedule plays as he went 23-for-30 for 295 yards and three touchdowns.
While coach Kyle Shanahan is complimentary of Purdy and the off-schedule plays he can create, he wasn’t as keen toward Purdy’s jump-pass touchdown to tight end George Kittle in the third quarter.
Purdy got wheels.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 14, 2025
Purdy got hops.
Purdy finds Kittle.
📺: FOX
NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/1qcOxJPVFE
“We give him crap for it a lot, but when it works, we call him Michael Jordan,” Shanahan joked. “We like cleats in the ground and being able to drive the ball. But sometimes somebody’s got to use another club and it’s cool that he’s got that one.”
Michael Jordan wasn’t the only famed figure that Purdy drew comparisons to after his play from Sunday. One of Purdy’s other highlights was a 26-yard scramble that also featured him pointing the football toward a Titans defender before immediately apologizing after the play.
“He’s that Jesus Christ lizard,” Kittle said of the scramble. “Running on water. No ball security. Fake pitching at the end of a [26]-yard run. Absolutely just diabolical behavior by our QB1.”
George Kittle on Brock Purdy:
— KNBR (@KNBR) December 15, 2025
“He’s Jesus Christ lizard, running on water, no ball security, fake pitching at the end of a 40-yard run, absolutely diabolical behavior by our QB1, but I love it. As long as he’s running out of bounds I don’t care, just don’t take a hit. I just… pic.twitter.com/c1vmO2D7o3
Once considered the latest plug-and-play quarterback for the Kyle Shanahan system, the often straight-laced Purdy has shown some flare in his game between attempting jump passes, faking the ball at a Titans defender or doing the Dougie after scoring a touchdown.
Purdy will look to bring that playmaking and energy to primetime when the 49ers take on the Colts next Monday night.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kyle Shanahan Shares Funny Reason for Calling Brock Purdy ‘Michael Jordan’.
