Sunday Night Football and Brock Purdy is a love story that we can’t have enough of…

A perfectly placed 30-yard deep ball from Brock Purdy to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall jump-started a key drive and pushed the San Francisco 49ers into Chicago territory, one of several momentum-setting plays in an eventful first half. By halftime, San Francisco held a 28–21 lead over the Bears in a score-for-score matchup heavy with playoff implications.

Facing an 11-win Chicago team known for late-game chaos, the 49ers leaned into control. Purdy provided it. Unbeaten in primetime entering Week 17, the quarterback continued his steady rise with sharp decision-making, timely runs, and an unflappable presence. By the end of the half, Purdy accounted for three total touchdowns, throwing for 164 yards while adding 23 more on the ground, including two rushing scores. Whether converting on third down or tucking the ball and running himself, he kept San Francisco on schedule and limited the momentum swings the Bears thrive on.

That composure was reinforced by Christian McCaffrey, who once again set the rhythm of the offense. The All-Pro running back piled up 121 yards and a touchdown on 18 first-half carries, serving as the stabiliser whenever the game threatened to speed up. With McCaffrey dictating pace and Purdy directing traffic, San Francisco balanced explosiveness with control.

Chicago, however, remained very much alive. The Bears entered the night with a league-leading six fourth-quarter comebacks and a defense capable of flipping games with takeaways. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has shown all season that chaos often suits him, ensuring the second half would be anything but settled.

For Purdy, moments like this have become familiar. Once the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft – forever labeled “Mr Irrelevant” – he has authored one of the league’s most improbable ascents. After taking over as a rookie amid injuries in San Francisco’s quarterback room, Purdy went 5-0 as a starter and helped guide the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. In his second season, he erased any lingering doubts, leading the NFL in efficiency metrics, earning a Pro Bowl nod, and steering San Francisco to Super Bowl LVIII, where the 49ers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.

That journey began long before the NFL. Raised in Queen Creek, Arizona, Purdy was set on playing quarterback from the time he was five years old, inspired by Tim Tebow and shaped by a competitive family background. At Iowa State, he became a record-setting starter, throwing for more than 12,000 yards and 81 touchdowns while rewriting the school’s offensive record book. Despite that résumé, scouts questioned his arm strength and athletic ceiling – concerns that sent him tumbling to the final pick of the draft.

Now, those doubts feel distant. As halftime arrived Sunday night, San Francisco sat exactly where it wanted to be: ahead on the scoreboard, dictating tempo, and trusting its quarterback to finish the job. The 49ers were 4–0 in primetime entering the night, and one more composed half would move them to 5–0 – provided they could withstand a Bears team that has made a habit of turning pressure into opportunity when games tighten late.