Brock Purdy’s family wanted to see 49ers-Bucs to admire Tom Brady

The family of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy planned to see the 49ers play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — not to watch Brock, but to see Tom Brady.

Tom Brady is one of the most famous sons of San Mateo, California, and it’s no secret that he was raised a devout San Francisco 49ers fan.

As the story goes, Brady was hoping his childhood team would draft him, only to fall six rounds into the hands of Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. When Brady became a free agent, the 49ers rumors kicked up again, and once more, Brady could be eyeing free agency with San Francisco a potential destination.

But for now, Brady is with the Bucs, and the Bucs-49ers matchup presents a rare, bittersweet homecoming for both Brady and Bucs defensive lineman Vita Vea.

Of course, the Vea and Brady families are not the only ones that will be watching this local game closely. The family of starting quarterback Brock Purdy, which hails from Queen Creek, AZ, planned to make the trip for this fortuitous matchup, long before they ever knew Brock would be starting for the game.

That’s because they wanted to see Brock’s opponent in action: a 45-year old Brady facing the team of his youth.

Brock Purdy’s family came all the way to San Francisco to see Tom Brady in action

Although it’s slightly humiliating for a player’s whole family to come to a game to watch an opponent, they can hardly be blamed — it’s Tom Brady, after all. Brady has been playing in the NFL almost as long as Purdy has been alive, so it’s entirely possible the Purdy family gathered around the television and witnessed Brady’s first three Super Bowl wins before Brock can even remember.

And it’s not as if the Purdys will be cheering Brady on at this point. Seeing Brady in action is something every fan of the game can appreciate, but of course the Purdys would love to see Brock triumph in an upset victory over the greatest quarterback of all time. If anything, their long-awaited plans to see Brady fell on the perfect weekend, at least for Brock’s sake.

Sadly, Brock’s starting job is a result of Jimmy Garoppolo’s season-ending injury, a shame since a Brady-Garoppolo showdown has yet to take place.

But it’s just as poetic that 2022’s Mr. Irrelevant takes on a Bay Area legend, even if SF Gate is referring to the Bucs quarterback as “the corpse of Tom Brady.”

If last week’s last-minute Saints comeback proved anything, it’s that Tom Brady is very much alive, meaning the Purdy family will be treated to a matchup of the ages.