Brock Purdy Delivered Elite Pocket Efficiency in Injury-Shortened 2025 Season

Brock Purdy’s injury-shortened 2025 season tested every part of his game, yet the numbers tell a story of remarkable consistency. A detailed chart from analytics account Nutshell Sports, built on nflfastR and FTN data, plotted every qualifying quarterback’s Expected Points Added per play inside the pocket against EPA per play outside the pocket. Purdy landed squarely in the “Elite Everywhere” quadrant—above the league median in both situations—alongside Jordan Love and 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford.

The visual makes it clear. Purdy did not just survive limited action; he thrived in the exact areas that separate good quarterbacks from special ones.

The Chart That Captured Purdy’s Complete Game

The scatter plot from Nutshell Sports paints the full picture. League median lines divide the field into four quadrants. The top-right box, labeled “Elite Everywhere,” rewards passers who grade out above average whether they stay in the pocket or escape it. Purdy’s dot sits comfortably inside that box. So do Stafford’s and Love’s. Mac Jones, who started eight games filling in for Purdy, also cleared the bar for both categories, though his inside-the-pocket mark sat closer to the middle of the pack alongside names like Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones.

That placement carries weight. It shows Purdy created value on designed dropbacks and when the play broke down. The 49ers’ offensive line helped—Purdy took just 11 sacks all year—but the quarterback’s own processing and movement turned pressure into positive plays more often than not.

What the Numbers Reveal About Purdy’s 2025

Purdy appeared in nine regular-season games after missing roughly eight to a toe injury that lingered from training camp and a related shoulder issue. He still finished with 2,167 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 69.4 percent of his passes. Those raw totals do not jump off the page. The advanced splits do.

Inside the pocket, Purdy’s quick release and anticipation let him attack zones before defenders closed. Outside the pocket, his legs bought time without forcing throws into coverage. That dual threat kept San Francisco’s offense on schedule even when the supporting cast thinned out. Matthew Stafford earned MVP honors with a similar all-situations profile for the Rams, while Jordan Love continued his ascent in Green Bay by posting comparable efficiency marks.

Mac Jones deserves credit too. Thrust into the lineup for eight starts, he kept the 49ers competitive and posted EPA numbers that also cleared the league median in both pocket situations. His inside-the-pocket work landed nearer the average line, in the same neighborhood as Darnold and Daniel Jones, but the overall body of work showed why San Francisco felt comfortable with him under center.

Why Purdy Excelled in Both Worlds

The separation comes down to subtle traits that show up in the film room. Inside the pocket, Purdy processed quickly enough to take what the defense gave him on rhythm throws. He rarely held the ball long enough for rushers to collapse the pocket. Outside the pocket, he escaped cleanly and kept his eyes downfield instead of tucking and running at the first sign of pressure. Those habits added up to positive EPA in both columns.

The 49ers’ scheme under Kyle Shanahan played a role, of course. Designed rollouts and boot actions created natural movement that played to Purdy’s strengths. Yet the data shows Purdy elevated those concepts. He turned potential negative plays into neutral or positive ones at a rate that placed him among the league’s most reliable options regardless of situation.

You could feel it on the field during those nine starts. The crowd at Levi’s Stadium exhaled a little easier every time Purdy stepped up or slid outside the tackle box and still found the open man. That calm under duress is what the “Elite Everywhere” label captures.

Looking Ahead From a Proven Foundation

The 2025 season ended without a Super Bowl for San Francisco, but Purdy’s body of work in limited action gave the franchise a clear blueprint. He proved he can deliver above-average value in every pocket situation. That trait travels. It travels through injuries, through schematic tweaks, and through whatever roster changes come next.

Stafford’s MVP campaign and Love’s continued growth show the same profile wins in today’s NFL. Purdy belongs in that conversation. The Nutshell Sports chart simply made it impossible to ignore.