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Brock Purdy, they’re saying you aren’t built for this — it’s time to show ’em

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.”

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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

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)

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Tiger Woods released from jail after DUI arrest; eyes appear bloodshot in booking photo

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Tiger Woods released from jail after DUI arrest; eyes appear bloodshot in booking photo

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Tiger Woods was released from jail Friday night after he was arrested earlier in the day on a DUI charge following a car crash in Florida.

In a mugshot released hours after his arrest, Woods’ eyes appeared bloodshot, as he donned a blue polo inside the Martin County Jail in Florida.

Woods was seen leaving the jail in the passenger seat of a black SUV after his release on bail late Friday, according to The Associated Press.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed in a news conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side. 

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Tiger Woods was booked into Martin County, Florida, jail on March 27, 2026. (AP)

Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.

“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added. 

“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”

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Woods was spotted on the phone after the crash, wearing navy blue shorts.

Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.

Tiger Woods was driven from the Martin County Jail after being arrested for driving under the influence following a car crash on March 27, 2026, in Stuart, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

VANESSA, KAI TRUMP TAKE IN TIGER WOODS’ RETURN TO GOLF AT TGL FINALS

“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Budensiek noted. 

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President Donald Trump commented on the arrest of his “very close friend.”

“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.”

Woods has not commented on the arrest.

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after getting into a car crash on Friday. (Associated Press)

Woods currently is dating Trump’s ex-daughter-in-law, Vanessa, whose daughter, Kai, is set to play college golf in Miami next week.

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This is Woods’ second DUI arrest within the last decade. In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at 3 a.m. 

In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.

Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026.  (Jason Oteri/AP)

Woods made his return to competitive golf earlier this week in the TGL championship after rupturing his Achilles just before last year’s Masters (this year’s tournament is in less than two weeks). Woods has not appeared on the links since the 2024 PGA Championship, in which he missed the cut.

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Lakers beat Nets, but Luka Doncic is facing suspension again after 16th technical

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Lakers beat Nets, but Luka Doncic is facing suspension again after 16th technical

For the second time in less than a week, Luka Doncic faces a one-game suspension because of technical foul accumulation.

Only a week after Doncic’s 16th technical foul was rescinded by the NBA, the Lakers superstar picked up another one in a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and is in line to miss the Lakers’ next game against the Washington Wizards on Monday.

In the third quarter with the Lakers trailing by one against the lowly Nets (17-57), Doncic was called for an offensive foul against Nic Claxton as the Lakers (48-26) were trying to inbound the ball after a dunk by Ziaire Williams. After the Lakers turnover, Williams and Doncic appeared to exchange words with Doncic pushing Williams aside with one hand. Williams then flailed his arms behind him and slapped Doncic in the throat.

“He was yelling in my face three times,” said Doncic, who finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win. “I just wanted to get out of there. … I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed. My push was exaggerated, which was obviously not [the case].”

Both were assessed technical fouls with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, and Williams’ hit was reviewed for a possible flagrant, although it was not upgraded.

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The NBA requires players to sit out for one game without pay after their 16th technical foul of the season. But Doncic avoided that fate after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game last week. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will try to appeal Doncic’s latest foul but he did not see what happened on the play.

Last week, Doncic avoided a suspension after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic is slated to miss Monday’s game against the Wizards, who have lost 17 of their last 18 games and have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (17-56).

Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts to a referee’s call during the second half Friday against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Doncic picked up his first 16th technical foul last week against the Orlando Magic after getting into an argument with Orlando forward Goga Bitadze. Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard. Bitadze refuted the story, saying it was actually Doncic who said the curse word out loud first and that he was only repeating what he heard.

The NBA rescinded both fouls upon review the following day.

Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, has scored 30 points or more in 12 consecutive games, the longest such streak in his career. He has 43 30-point games this season, tying Elgin Baylor and Jerry West for sixth-most in a season by a Lakers player. He has scored 40 points or more in the last 12 games.

Against the Nets, Austin Reaves finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists and LeBron James had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Before the game, Redick said the Nets game would be like playing on the road since the Lakers had spent almost two weeks away from Crypto.com Arena and had returned home in the wee hours of Thursday morning from Indianapolis.

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Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Nets in the second half Friday.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Nets in the second half Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The challenge was to find the energy to play, which wasn’t a problem for Doncic, who had 24 points in the first half. Doncic was nine for 15 from the field in the first half and four for six from three-point range in 20 minutes. He finished shooting 15 for 25 from the field as the Lakers shot 54% from the floor. They shot 44% (11 for 25) from three-point range.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team with the second-worst record in the NBA didn’t matter.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team had lost nine of its last 10 games didn’t matter.

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That the Lakers were facing a Nets team that’s last in the league in scoring (106.3 points per game) didn’t matter.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton, left, blocks a shot by Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton, left, blocks a shot by Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore in the first half Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

What mattered to the Lakers was finding a way to win as the regular season winds down.

“I felt like we were a step slow,” Redick said. “And I told the guys at halftime, ‘This is our seventh game of the road trip. Anytime you come back, there’s a day in between, that’s just you’re in another city until you can get adjusted to the time zone and you get a couple days break.’ So the next two [off] days will be good for us.”

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Notes: Lakers broadcast analyst Stu Lantz missed Friday night’s game against the Nets because of health issues. Derek Fisher, who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, took over Lantz’s role for the game. Public address announcer Lawrence Tanter also missed the game because of a health matter. Jason Barquero filled in for Lantz. “The entire Lakers organization is wishing Lawrence all the best in his recovery, and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” the team said in a statement.

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Tiger Woods involved in rollover crash in Florida less than 2 weeks before Masters: reports

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Tiger Woods involved in rollover crash in Florida less than 2 weeks before Masters: reports

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Tiger Woods was involved in a car crash on Jupiter Island in Florida on Friday, according to multiple reports. 

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office told ESPN that the crash happened on Jupiter Island. Woods’ condition was not immediately known. 

Woods competed in the TGL championship earlier this week with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughter, Kai, in the stands. It was his return to competitive golf after rupturing his Achilles last year, just ahead of the Masters.

Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club looks on before the match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

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The 15-time major winner, five of which have come at Augusta, was noncommittal about playing at this year’s Masters. President Donald Trump said on “The Five” on Thursday that he would be at Augusta but not play.

Woods has had trouble behind the wheel in the past. In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for months.

This is a breaking story. Check back for more updates.

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