Sports
Brock Purdy, they’re saying you aren’t built for this — it’s time to show ’em
Uh oh, Brock Purdy. Your detractors are lining up.
The fellowship of Purdy Truthers can smell the validation. They prayed for times like these. Their contention this whole time is that you, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, have been all hype, that you didn’t belong in the company of the game’s elite. They’ve been saying you’re only, well, you, because of the superstars around you. They’ve been eager to relegate you to a lesser tier, put you in line well behind Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and ’em.
Oh, you better know they are watching and waiting. And hoping. For your downfall.
They’re sitting up in their seats, Brock. Rubbing their hands together greedily, salivating after you couldn’t outduel your former backup Sunday in Minnesota. Their eyes, filled with gleeful anticipation, are fixed on you, No. 13. Waiting to see how you respond to the mounting adversity of this season.
Christian McCaffrey is already on injured reserve. Your offensive line is struggling in pass protection, even the legend Trent Williams, who missed all of training camp in a contract holdout. Brandon Aiyuk, who also missed all of camp, estimated he was at about 85 percent.
Now Deebo Samuel is out.
“Yeah, always when you lose real good players, it’s always tough,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But it happens all over the league, and it’s a huge part of this league and a huge part of this game. We’ve got to deal with it.”
Let’s keep it real, Purdy. You haven’t been the same without Samuel. The 49ers with you at quarterback are 0-3 in meaningful games in which Deebo doesn’t take at least half the offensive snaps. Your offense has averaged 17 points per game in those games.
The Purdy Truthers haven’t let that go. A trip to the Super Bowl, MVP-caliber stats, and consistent vouching from the superstars around you — nothing has curbed the criticism.
They’re calling you a trust-fund quarterback, a silver-spoon signal caller. They’re still saying your football career began in field-goal range and you don’t know about the struggle. They’re saying you can’t do what the likes of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen can do — put a team on your shoulders, be the reason your team wins and not just facilitate a loaded roster, overcome the holes in the lineup.
This is about as close as you’ve been to that scenario. Even with the revelation that Jordan Mason has been as RB1, a lineup without McCaffrey and Samuel definitely lowers the fear factor in the defense. Which tends to ratchet up their confidence, and the aggressiveness. Especially considering how vulnerable you’ve been the first couple of weeks to turnovers. You’ve only got two in the first two weeks, but enough near-interceptions to make a defense hungry.
You can shut them up now, though Brock. OK, maybe not shut them up. Beating the 0-2 Los Angeles Rams and winning at home over the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals won’t quiet the mob. But certainly, losing any of those games will increase the fever pitch.
It doesn’t matter how many dimes you throw. Or how big your numbers get. They’ll still see every time you make a questionable throw, or look a little lost, or miss a target. And the defense is getting better at figuring out how to give you problems.
It looked as if the Vikings, in the game we won’t speak about, picked up on a few tendencies the Baltimore Ravens introduced last Christmas. Anticipate and jump on the timing routes and bring pressure from random places — all designed to get you hurried and frantic, which is when you’re most prone to mistakes.
“No, I think that’s what the point of the scheme is,” Shanahan explained. “It’s to have six guys up on the line and come from everywhere. … It’s just a lot of pressure on a quarterback throughout a game. That’s what their scheme is. They’re going to make you think whether you’re hot every play, and if you’re not, then you’ve got to find the open zones. There are a lot of open zones, but it’s tough the way they slow you down. … (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores) does a really good job of mixing it up, and that is the challenge for a quarterback. It makes it really tough to get into a rhythm.”
The Vikings’ aggressive defense kept Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense in check Sunday. (Adam Bettcher / Getty Images)
When you told Flores his “scheme is crazy” after the game, the Purdy Truthers didn’t see that as a young QB who appreciated being challenged. They didn’t see it as game recognizing game, that it was a sign you’d dive into the film to learn from it. Nah, they saw it as some kind of confession you were overwhelmed.
That’s why you can’t lay an egg these next few weeks. Well, you can. Because Super Bowls aren’t won in September. Sure, it would put the 49ers in a tough spot, maybe even cost you a home game in the NFC Championship, should you make it. But your squad is perfectly capable of rallying late and peaking at the right time.
So you can’t lay an egg because you can’t give the detractors more fodder. Truth be told, you have a legion fighting for you on the interwebs. Plenty are rocking with you Brock, and they need you to shut everybody up.
You’ve still got George Kittle. You’ve still got Mason and the power running game. You’ve still got Aiyuk, who is due for a big game.
“There were a number of times he had a real good chance to get the ball,” Shanahan said of Aiyuk, “and a couple times protections broke down on two of them. One time someone busted a route and just got in the same way, so they covered it up. But he had a chance to get about four big passes and other factors happened. It’s a team game. There are 11 guys out there that are involved in getting someone the ball. He did have some opportunities where he should have, but not everything went right.”
You’ve got enough to win. You’ve got enough to lead your team through this rough patch. This was always in the cards. Getting back to the Super Bowl is a daunting task. And NFL teams are like crabs in a bucket. This was always going to be hard.
Yet necessary. This is the hardship they said you can’t handle. This is the cape they believe is too heavy for your shoulders. They don’t believe you’re one of them ones, Brock.
You better show ’em.
GO DEEPER
Nothing easy for Brock Purdy as Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers offense try to find their feet
(Top photo of Brock Purdy during Sunday’s game against the Vikings: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
Sports
Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.
Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”
Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.
“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.
The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)
“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Prep talk: Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan celebrates winning state wrestling title
Three years ago, as a 14-year-old freshman, Slava Shahbazyan made it to Bakersfield for the state wrestling championships.
“It was good to get experience that young,” he said.
Then came Saturday night when he had a breakthrough moment, winning the state 165-pound championship as a 17-year-old senior for Birmingham High.
“It means everything to me,” he said. “It took four years.”
Shahbazyan, who transferred from Chaminade after his sophomore year, is set to attend Stanford and still in the hunt to be valedictorian at Birmingham. Coach Jimmy Medeiros said he was close to winning last season before finishing fourth.
“He got a lot better,” Medeiros said.
Shahbazyan has been wrestling since he was 8. “My father loves wrestling,” he said.
Two St. John Bosco wrestlers, Jesse Grajeda at 144 pounds and Michael Romero at 150 pounds, also won state titles.
Here’s the link to complete results.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Deion Sanders mourns loss of Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder: ‘One of my favorites’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.
“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”
Ponder was 23 years old.
Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)
Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.
Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.
The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.
Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)
“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”
Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.
Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
World5 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts5 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO5 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
News1 week agoWorld reacts as US top court limits Trump’s tariff powers