Steve Young knows what it takes to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. He is a Hall of Famer after all. But when it comes to Brock Purdy, Young has always been high on the Purdy, who was the last overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. And during Purdy's unreal rookie campaign with the San Francisco 49ers, Young caught some attention when he opted to compare the rookie shot caller to superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

With Purdy having claimed the Niners' starting job for himself heading into the 2023 campaign, Young isn't backing down from his comparison. Young insists that he's not comparing their skills but rather their mental makeup, which the San Fran legend believes is crucial to succeeding at the quarterback position.

“Brock is unusual. Patrick Mahomes is unusual. When Brock was playing (last season), and I compared him to Patrick Mahomes, everybody freaked out. I wasn’t comparing their physical attributes. I was comparing this emotional state … because that’s the gift that every quarterback has to have to be great.” – Steve Young, San Francisco Chronicle

There are many quarterbacks who make it to the NFL because of their talent but are unable to pan out because they cannot handle the mental or emotional aspect of the game. Purdy's ability to ooze confidence helps his teammates believe in him, and as we saw last season, it worked out pretty great for all parties involved. Mahomes is a more physically gifted quarterback than Purdy, but as long as the second-year quarterback can stay connected to himself and his teammates, the Niners should be expected to win a lot of football games.