Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts go head-to-head today, and it’s the youngest-ever matchup of quarterbacks in a conference championship game. They’re both under 25.

Purdy turned 23 last month. He’s the 3rd-youngest, older than only Shaun King (Tampa Bay, 1999) and Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers, 2004). Hurts is only just over a year older.

They’ve been playing conference championships since 1970, and only 23 other quarterbacks younger than 25 have started in conference championship games.

Typically, younger hasn’t been better in these kind of games. Quarterbacks under 25 have gone only 7-16 in these games. (In the chart below, I’ve got the winners tagged with black dots.)

QUARTERBACKS UNDER 25 IN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
YearPlayerAgeOppResultComAttPctYdsTDInt
1999Shaun King, T.B.22-239at St.L.L 6-11132944.816302
2004Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.22-327N.E.L 27-41142458.322623
2022Brock Purdy, S.F.23-033at Phil.???????
1986Bernie Kosar, Cle.23-047Den.L 20-23183256.325922
2009Mark Sanchez, NYJ23-074at Ind.L 17-30173056.725721
1984• Dan Marino, Mia.23-113Pitt.W 45-28213265.642141
2018Patrick Mahomes, K.C.23-125N.E.L 31-37163151.629530
2005• Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.23-326at Den.W 34-17212972.427520
1975Pat Haden, Rams23-338at Min.L 13-2492240.916112
2000Daunte Culpepper, Min.23-352at NYGL 0-41132846.47803
2008Joe Flacco, Balt.24-002at Pitt.L 14-23133043.314103
1996Kerry Collins, Car.24-013at G.B.L 13-30193751.421512
1987Bernie Kosar, Cle.24-053at Den.L 33-38264163.435631
2010Mark Sanchez, NYJ24-073at Pitt.L 19-24203360.623320
1982• David Woodley, Mia.24-090NYJW 14-092142.98703
2018• Jared Goff, LAR24-098at N.O.W 26-23254062.529711
1985Dan Marino, Mia.24-119N.E.L 14-31204841.724822
1971Terry Bradshaw, Pitt.24-120Mia.L 17-2151050.08012
2019• Patrick Mahomes, K.C.24-124Ten.W 35-24233565.729430
1979Doug Williams, T.B.24-150RamsL 0-921315.41201
2022Jalen Hurts, Phil.24-175S.F.???????
2001• Tom Brady, N.E.24-177at Pitt.W 24-17121866.711500
2004Michael Vick, Atl.24-211at Phil.L 10-27112445.813601
2020Josh Allen, Buff.24-248at K.C.L 24-38284858.328721
1996• Drew Bledsoe, N.E.24-333Jac.W 20-6203360.617801

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan