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Brock Purdy elevates his game even more to start season for the 49ers

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Cite

Dubow, J. (2026, September 25). Brock Purdy elevates his game even more to start season for the 49ers. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/brock-purdy-elevates-his-game-even-more-to-start-season-for-the-49ers/article_dfd485f8-e091-5f55-bdfe-8007bf95d099.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Toronto Star · collected 2026-09-25 · by Josh Dubow

Quick Summary

Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has continued his impressive start to the season after a strong rookie year and playoff run. In the first two games of this season, he has completed 80.4% of his passes with a total of three touchdown throws, leading nearly as many scoring drives (10) as incomplete passes (11). Head coach Kyle Shanahan notes that Purdy’s ability to balance precision with aggressive decision-making highlights his potential to reach another level in the league.
Written by AI on 2026-09-27, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy, the seventh-round rookie who made waves with his performance during the 2022 season and beyond, has continued to impress through two weeks of this season with the San Francisco 49ers. In a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, Purdy threw three touchdown passes. He then followed up with near-flawless play against the Miami Dolphins last week, further solidifying his status as one of the NFL's top quarterbacks. Coach Kyle Shanahan has noted that Purdy has shown an increased level of aggressiveness and efficiency since training camp, indicating another potential step in the quarterback’s development. Purdy attributes this growth to offseason work with the coaching staff on risk management during games.

Written for “Brock Purdy Starting For The 49ers” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Brock Purdy Starting For The 49ers
Sports · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 7% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Toronto Star
Hedges 0 of 33 claims Outlet record 64/100
“The articles describe different games: one is a season-opening win over the Los Angeles Rams with three touchdown passes, while the other is a victory against the Arizona Cardinals with four touchdown passes.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
30
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
7%
2 of 30 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
64/100
Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-27 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Toronto Star · 11297 article(s) · 28 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 28 correction(s)
2026-10-26
Correction
2026-10-24
Correction
2026-10-07
Correction
2026-09-24
Correction

Who wrote this

Josh Dubow
39 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Aiyuk had fired agent Ryan Williams during his long-running dispute with the 49ers and was without representation until Rosenhaus said on Monday that he had been hired.
🔮 Micah Ford rushed for 150 yards, Nico Brown caught two TD passes and Caden High had nine catches for 103 yards and a score for the Cardinal. CJ Bailey threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns and Will Wilson ran for two short scores for the Wolfpack (3-4, 1-3).
🔮 San Francisco 49ers star receiver Mike Evans will miss Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons because of Achilles tendinitis.
🔮 He didn’t return to the game and his status for this week’s game against Atlanta remains in question with coach Kyle Shanahan saying he didn’t know how long the issue will impact Evans’ ability to practice or play.
🔮 San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Evans left Monday night’s game against the Washington Commanders with an Achilles tendon injury and the team said he would not return.
🔮 Daniels was then sacked by Keion White and Ogbo Okoronkwo before he could throw up a desperation pass.
🔮 With five more pass attempts, he will take his place on top of the all-time leaderboards.
🔮 Lupoi told ESPN it would be a competition at quarterback going forward despite the heavy investment Cal has made in Sagapolutele.
🔮 Defensive end Nick Bosa (calf) didn’t practice Thursday, but Shanahan said there’s a chance he could return this week after missing the past three games.
🔮 Thrash upheld the suspension and Greenlaw will miss Monday night’s game against Washington and lose out on nearly $200,000 in pay for the week.
Also by Josh Dubow
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 39 articles by Josh Dubow →

Topics

Calif. Dolphins NFL SANTA CLARA the Super Bowl

Subjects

Purdy PERSON · 10× Dolphins ORG · 2× NFL ORG · 2× Shanahan PERSON · 2× Brock Purdy PERSON · 1× Calif. GPE · 1× Patrick Mahomes PERSON · 1× Philadelphia GPE · 1× SANTA CLARA GPE · 1× the San Francisco 49ers ORG · 1×

Narrative

He said he worked with the coaching staff in the offseason on knowing when to take chances and when to play it safe and is happy with his risk level so far this season. “We know our looks when we have opportunities to make big plays, but playing quarterback is dishing it out and staying ahead of the chains and taking completions when the defense is giving it to you,” he said.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-27
🔮 Through two weeks this season, Purdy has shown there might be even another level he can take his game.
2026-09-27 · Toronto Star
Brock Purdy elevates his game even more to start season for the 49ers · assertive framing

Claims (30 extracted, 2 hedged)

Brock Purdy has produced at a high level ever since bursting on the scene as a seventh-round rookie in 2022 who went on a deep playoff run with the San Francisco 49ers. asserted
who → produce → 49ers
He’s been an MVP finalist, went drive for drive against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl in the 2023 season and led his team to a comeback road playoff win last season in Philadelphia. asserted
He → go → Philadelphia
Through two weeks this season, Purdy has shown there might be even another level he can take his game. uncertain
he → show → game
After throwing three touchdown passes in a season-opening win over the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams, Purdy was nearly flawless last week in a win against Miami. asserted
Purdy → throw → Miami
“I thought he had his best training camp, just in terms of being aggressive with things, but not stupid,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. asserted
Shanahan → think → things
“Still making the right efficient decision, but when there’s a chance of things being aggressive, and I’ve seen that here these last two weeks. asserted
I → make → that
I think the more he plays, just with experience, the easier defenses come to recognize and things like that. asserted
defenses → think → that
But he played so good right away that it’s not like, ‘Oh, he’s so much better in this area.’ asserted
he → play → area
I just think you gradually become a vet and used to everything that you’ve seen.” asserted
you → think → that
Purdy’s passing game stellar to start the season Through two games, Purdy has completed 80.4% of his passes, has led nearly as many scoring drives (10) as he has thrown incomplete passes (11) and has shown the athleticism to elevate Shanahan’s system even when things don’t go exactly as scripted. asserted
things → start → system
There were a few plays where that was most evident last week against the Dolphins, including one when he pump faked to avoid pressure on a rollout, eluded a rusher, passed up an open Deebo Samuel on a short throw to connect on a perfectly placed 27-yard pass to Mike Evans in tight coverage to set up a touchdown. asserted
he → be → touchdown
“I think his ability to play within the scheme, and then know when to play football like you’re a kid,” All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey said about Purdy’s biggest strength. asserted
McCaffrey → think → strength
“There’s a good balance of doing your job and being extremely detailed on what’s asked of you, but even coaches will admit, sometimes the play might not be there, and you’ve got to go make a play instead of just move on. uncertain
you → ’ → play
And Brock’s always looking for that, and seems to always find it.” Purdy is finding just about every open receiver so far this season. asserted
Purdy → look → receiver
He went 20 for 22 against the Dolphins with 18 straight completions at one point. asserted
He → go → point
The only passes that hit the ground were a drop by Samuel on the opening drive and his final throw that went for intentional grounding on a broken play. asserted
that → hit → play
He led the NFL with a 113 passer rating and 9.6 yards per attempt in 2023 when he finished fourth in MVP voting and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl. asserted
Niners → lead → Bowl
He needs 91 more attempts to reach 1,500 and qualify for the all-time leaderboard where his 104.9 passer rating is on track to be the best in NFL history and his 8.6 yards per attempt ranking second to Hall of Famer Otto Graham. asserted
yards → need → Graham
While much of the credit for his early success went to Shanahan and the talented playmakers around him, Purdy is now getting the outside praise that those around the 49ers have always believed he deserved. asserted
he → go → 49ers
“At some point, it’s he’s an incredible, great quarterback. asserted
he → ’ → point
He’s unbelievable,” McCaffrey said. asserted
McCaffrey → ’ → ?
“So can he take it to another level? asserted
he → take → level
I mean, yeah. asserted
I → mean → ?
But he’s already in the category of somebody that is special. asserted
that → ’ → somebody
I’ve been answering that question for years now. asserted
I → answer → years
I’m not shocked. asserted
I → ’m → ?
He’s special.” asserted
He → ’ → ?
Purdy has been cutting down on mistakes this season Through two weeks, Purdy has also cut down on his mistakes, throwing only one interception after having 13 in 11 starts in the regular season and playoffs in 2025. asserted
Purdy → cut → 2025
He said he worked with the coaching staff in the offseason on knowing when to take chances and when to play it safe and is happy with his risk level so far this season. “We know our looks when we have opportunities to make big plays, but playing quarterback is dishing it out and staying ahead of the chains and taking completions when the defense is giving it to you,” he said. asserted
he → say → you
“I feel like I’ve had to learn sort of the hard way throughout my career so far on some experiences and some scars, but I feel like you’ve got to learn and make improvements and make change.” asserted
you → feel → change
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