Brock Purdy led all NFL QBs in late-down efficiency in 2025

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy didn’t have a career year in 2025 and missed almost half of the team’s games, but he still proved to be one of the most efficient passers when it mattered most.

According to Sumer Sports, Purdy led all NFL quarterbacks in expected points added (EPA) per play on late downs (third and fourth down) during the 2025 season among those with at least 100 such plays. His mark of 0.58 was well clear of the field, with the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love finishing second at 0.42 and New England Patriots quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye third at 0.33.

2025 NFL QB Late Down EPA/play (min. 100 plays):

1. Brock Purdy (0.58)
2. Jordan Love (0.42)
3. Drake Maye (0.33)
4. Daniel Jones (0.25)
5. Josh Allen (0.20)
6. Patrick Mahomes (0.15)
7. C.J. Stroud (0.15)
8. Bo Nix (0.15)
9. Jalen Hurts (0.14)
10. Jaxson Dart (0.13) pic.twitter.com/ZG8eoN41pY

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— SūmerSports (@SumerSports) June 11, 2026

The gap between Purdy and the rest of the list is notable. He outpaced Love by 0.16 points per play and finished more than double the mark posted by Patrick Mahomes, who came in sixth at 0.15. Josh Allen, widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in football, checked in at 0.20 for fifth. Jalen Hurts was ninth at 0.14.

Purdy finished the year with a 69.4% completion rate on just 284 passing attempts for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. However, 130 of his 197 completions were for first downs, which likely contributed to his high marks.

Late-down situations are among the most high-leverage moments in any game. Converting on third and fourth down extends drives, controls the clock and keeps defenses honest. Purdy’s ability to generate positive expected value in those spots at a higher rate than any other quarterback in the league speaks to both his decision-making and the efficiency of Kyle Shanahan’s offense when the stakes are highest.

Purdy enters 2026 as a dark horse candidate for MVP. Maintaining his elite efficiency metrics and staying healthy will go a long way and making that possibility a reality for him this year.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Brock Purdy led all NFL QBs in late-down efficiency in 2025