Kurt Warner raised eyebrows when asked a hypothetical that has suddenly gained traction: If Joe Burrow wanted out of Cincinnati, should the 49ers pursue him? Warner didn’t dodge the question, acknowledging both the difficulty and the weight of it. “That’s a tough question,” he said.
Despite his admiration for Brock Purdy, Warner made it clear he views Burrow on another tier. “You know I love Brock Purdy and I think Brock’s really good, but I also do believe Joe is better than Brock is and brings more to the table,” Warner explained, highlighting Burrow’s rare combination of talent and command.
Warner added that Burrow wouldn’t just be an upgrade in San Francisco, but almost anywhere. “If that were the case you’d probably have 28 teams in the league that would say Joe Burrow would be an upgrade at the quarterback spot. That’s not a knock on any of these other guys. It’s just Joe is one of the special ones.”
Who has been better recently, Purdy or Burrow?
Brock Purdy played in the 2024 Super Bowl, where the 49ers unfortunately lost. He now joins Joe Burrow on the list of quarterbacks who debut in a major game like that but often struggle to return to the sport’s most important stage, though the future will tell if either can play another Super Bowl.
In terms of stats, last season was truly excellent for Burrow, who accumulated 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. However, all of that was not enough to reach the playoffs. On the other hand, despite the injuries to his teammates, Purdy managed to accumulate 3,864 passing yards and 20 touchdowns but threw 12 interceptions.
Both Burrow and Purdy have played in two postseasons with their respective teams. The Bengals quarterback has a bit more experience than the 49ers quarterback, as he has been playing as a starter virtually since 2020 and surpasses Purdy in all major passing categories.