Former NFL OC Says Brock Purdy Reminds him of Jim McMahon

I recently asked former Raiders offensive coordinator and two-time Super Bowl winner Tom Walsh which former NFL quarterback Brock Purdy reminds him of. I said Jeff Garcia because they’re both 49ers quarterbacks. Walsh had a much more surprising answer. Here’s what he said.

WALSH: “I’m going to throw a name out of left field. Do you know the name Jim McMahon? Chicgo Bears quarterback, played at BYU? Jim was a unique character. He was a little bit more of a wild hare than Brock is, at least from what I can see of Brock. Jim gave head coach Lavell Edwards gray hair at BYU. Jim would be out there on the golf course no shoes on with a six-pack playiing golf on campus. And Lavell would get a phone call about it. But the guy could play. He had improvisational skill. He was a gunslinger. And he had poise just like Brock. The players loved playing for him. Some of their most successful years under Mike Ditka were when McMahon was the quarterback. Brock has some of those traits, and they’re good to have.”

ME: I see the comparison. Neither one necessarily carries the offense. Both teams feature their running backs. But both quarterbacks add a level of mobility and improvisation and poise that the entire team feeds off.

WALSH: “They can make plays when they need to make plays. You put them in the right situation and set them stage for them, they will be able to execute for you.”