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No one could have predicted the trajectory of Brock Purdy's career when the San Francisco 49ers selected him as the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Elevated to the starting role during his rookie season due to injuries, Purdy flourished, guiding the 49ers into the playoffs and on the brink of a Super Bowl appearance.
However, an injury to Purdy in the NFC Championship Game thwarted San Francisco's plans.
One year later, Purdy has the 49ers Super Bowl-bound. They orchestrated a remarkable comeback against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game, securing a spot in the NFL title game in Las Vegas on February 11.
When Purdy steps onto the field against the Kansas City Chiefs, he will become the third-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl at 24 years, one month, and 15 days old. If he and the 49ers emerge victorious and hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy, Purdy will become the second-youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl in NFL history, behind only Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Roethlisberger was 23 years, 11 months, and three days old when he won Super Bowl 40. Purdy might have surpassed Roethlisberger had he not been injured in last season's NFC Championship Game.
Purdy awesome Brock! ✨1) Dan Marino, Dolphins (23 years, 127 days)
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 29, 2024
2) Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (23 years, 340 days)
3) Brock Purdy, 49ers (24 years, 46 days) pic.twitter.com/Z5IxhtjFuW
The youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl is Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins, who was 23 years, four months, and five days old in his only NFL title game appearance, a Super Bowl 19 loss to the 49ers.
A 49ers victory over the Chiefs would make Purdy one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at the age of 24, joining Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. He is set to become one of seven quarterbacks all-time to start a Super Bowl at 24, a list that includes Jared Goff, whom Purdy's 49ers defeated on Sunday.
Purdy boasts a 17-4 record as a starter, not including his four playoff victories.
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Seahawks moving on from Geno Smith, appear to have younger QB in mind
The NFL quarterback carousel is picking up its pace. Friday night, another domino fell, sending the free-agent pool into a frenzy. The Seattle Seahawks traded QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick at the 2025 NFL Draft. Smith will reunite with his former head coach Pete Carroll, who took the Raiders job on Jan. 25. Smith, 34, threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024, nearly leading Seattle to the playoffs at 10-7. Las Vegas, which owns the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming draft, was widely considered to be in contention for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders whose stock has slowly dropped since the NFL Scouting Combine. Despite dealing for the 34-year-old Smith, Sanders could still be an option a la the Atlanta Falcons bringing in Kirk Cousins and drafting Michael Penix Jr. in 2024. However, Seattle (pick No. 18) will need to search for a free-agent replacement instead of finding its next signal-caller in the draft. Insider Tom Pelissero reported on X that Seattle has Vikings QB Sam Darnold atop its list. Darnold is an impending free agent after Minnesota declined to use its franchise tag on the 27-year-old. Darnold was one of the league's top passers in 2024, recording 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes. He led Minnesota to a 14-3 record before crashing out in the wild-card round. Seattle's next move at QB will be closely watched in the coming days as the new league year kicks off on March 12, the same day free agency opens.
Top NHL insider calls out Penguins for completing 'dumbest' trade in the last 25 years
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a surprising trade on Wednesday, sending winger Michael Bunting to the Nashville Predators. A top insider has called out the team for the return it got for Michael Bunting. The return for Bunting? The Penguins received 27-year old Tommy Novak and a 33-year old Luke Schenn — the latter of whom was flipped to the Jets. While one writer praised the Pens for moves that could hasten their rebuild, a top insider was not impressed with this trade. Top NHL insider Frank Seravalli has now taken a swipe at Kyle Dubas and the Penguins front office, calling it one of the "dumbest" hockey trades of the century. "On the surface, this is arguably the dumbest hockey trade that's been executed in the last 25 years. These 2 teams that are so far out of it shouldn't even be allowed to call each other (at deadline). I'm not even kidding." For some, Schenn and Novak were confusing pieces to receive, but ultimately, it appears as though the team believes both players can help them get back into contention. Kyle Dubas has been under fire almost from the moment he arrived in Pittsburgh, and this trade certainly won't help his standing with the fans.
Jeremy Lamb’s Relationship With Kings Owner's Daughter Had A Bigger Impact Than Expected
Jeremy Lamb's unexpected influence on the Sacramento Kings' front office dynamics may have played a larger role than anyone anticipated, leading to major organizational instability that culminated in De’Aaron Fox’s departure and internal turmoil. Lamb, who initially arrived in Sacramento as part of the Domantas Sabonis trade in 2022, became a central figure within the organization—not for his on-court contributions but due to his relationship with Kings owner Vivek Ranadive’s daughter, Anjali Ranadive. Anjali, who initially pursued a music career and even performed at Kings games, transitioned into a front-office role, first becoming an assistant general manager of the Stockton Kings (Sacramento’s G-League affiliate) in 2022, before being elevated to GM in May 2023. During her tenure, Lamb was a player on the team, and their romantic relationship became public in October 2023. However, her tenure as GM was overshadowed by controversy. One of Stockton’s players, Chance Comanche, was arrested and later charged with murder for a crime that allegedly took place during a team road trip in Las Vegas. Less than a month later, Anjali stepped down from her role, citing personal and academic pursuits. Even after stepping down, she and Lamb remained highly visible figures at Kings games, often sitting courtside with Vivek and seemingly exerting growing influence on the team's decision-making process. This led to frustration within the organization, as multiple sources within the team felt power dynamics were shifting in unpredictable ways. One Kings employee sarcastically remarked to The Athletic that, “We’re all going to be working for Jeremy Lamb soon enough.” Tension escalated during the mid-season firing of head coach Mike Brown, a move that many in the organization believed was influenced by Vivek’s inner circle, including Anjali and Lamb. Brown was a favorite of De’Aaron Fox, and his abrupt dismissal only fueled Fox’s desire to leave Sacramento. Fox, who had turned down multiple max extensions from the Kings in recent months, no longer trusted the franchise’s stability. He reportedly told interim head coach Doug Christie that he could not see a future in Sacramento if the front office continued to operate in dysfunction. Soon after, Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, marking the end of an era for the Kings. The situation has left many questioning who is truly in charge of the franchise. Lamb’s influence appeared to fade after Fox’s departure, but the lingering effects of his presence were already felt. Even Domantas Sabonis, who is under contract for three more seasons, is reportedly seeking clarity about the organization’s direction before fully committing to Sacramento long-term. For a franchise that seemed to be turning the corner after ending a 16-year playoff drought, the Kings now find themselves mired in uncertainty once again. Whether Vivek Ranadivé can restore faith in the organization remains to be seen, but Jeremy Lamb’s involvement in Sacramento’s inner workings had far greater consequences than anyone expected.
Report: Joel Embiid Was Angry Details Of Team Meeting In Which 76ers Players Called Him Out Leaked To Public
According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Joel Embiid was angry details of a team meeting in which Philadelphia 76ers players called him out leaked to the public. The team meeting took place in November in Miami. “There was the team meeting in Miami in November in which fellow players called him out for his lack of professionalism, including comments from star teammate Tyrese Maxey, who specifically pointed to Embiid’s tardiness to team events,” Windhorst wrote. “While he has since patched up any lingering tension with Maxey, Embiid was angry that details of the meeting became public, sources said, and attempted to identify a possible leak.” Embiid appeared in only 19 games this season. He averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field, 29.9% from beyond the arc and 88.2% from the free-throw line. The Sixers shut Embiid down for the season due to his ongoing left knee issues. The NBA star may need another knee surgery. Philadelphia signed Embiid to a three-year, $192 million extension in September 2024. Embiid is owed $248.1 million over the next four seasons. A Kansas product, Embiid has career averages of 27.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He’s made seven All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams and three All-Defensive teams. If Embiid isn’t playing in February 2026, the Sixers could petition for a medical NBA retirement. “The determination on whether Embiid suffered a career-ending injury would be made by a physician selected by the NBA and the players’ association,” per ESPN. “If that’s the case, then starting on Feb. 22, 2026 (one year from the last game Embiid played), Philadelphia could apply to the NBA to have Embiid’s salary for the years of his contract removed from its cap sheet. The Sixers would also have to waive Embiid. “If the injury is not determined to be career-ending but is significant enough that Embiid would miss all of the 2025-26 season, then the 76ers could apply for a disabled player exception that would be worth the same as the non-taxpayer midlevel exception (since 50% of Embiid’s salary is higher than that mark).”
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