Now, the team — and the quarterback — have crashed back down to Earth, opening up questions about what comes next.
The 49ers lost their third straight game Sunday, this time a 31-17 defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals. Their seemingly unflappable young gunslinger threw two interceptions for the second straight game.
The loss is driving another massive shift in the discourse around Purdy. Earlier this month, after the 49ers crushed the Cowboys to improve to 5-0, Purdy was being highlighted as a potential MVP candidate, an heir apparent to Tom Brady and so much more.