The San Francisco 49ers pulled off a 23-19 upset victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild-card playoff game on Sunday. Despite losing tight end George Kittle to a torn Achilles tendon in the first half, the 49ers rallied behind quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey to advance. The Eagles' season ended with a fourth-down stop by linebacker Eric Kendricks sealing the win for San Francisco.
The matchup in Philadelphia pitted the sixth-seeded 49ers against the Eagles, who entered as Super Bowl LIX champions but struggled with injuries and inconsistencies. The game kicked off under windy conditions, with gusts up to 35 mph at Lincoln Financial Field, affecting both passing and kicking games.
San Francisco struck first with a touchdown on their opening drive, as Purdy connected with Demarcus Robinson for a score, putting the 49ers up 7-0. Philadelphia answered quickly, marching 94 yards in 16 plays capped by a 1-yard rushing touchdown from tight end Dallas Goedert, though kicker Jake Elliott missed the extra point, making it 7-6.
The Eagles built a 13-7 halftime lead with another Goedert touchdown reception, becoming the first tight end in NFL history with both rushing and receiving scores in a playoff game. However, the second half turned pivotal when Kittle suffered his injury on a sideline tackle by safety Marcus Epps. His calf appeared to pop on the play—his first catch of the day—and he was carted off and ruled out, adding to San Francisco's season-long injury woes that sidelined quarterback Purdy for eight games and defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Despite the blow, the 49ers fought back. In the fourth quarter, wide receiver Jauan Jennings threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey, giving San Francisco a brief lead. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell's two interceptions off Purdy, including one that set up a field goal, kept Philadelphia in check. McCaffrey, limited to 48 rushing yards on 15 carries, shone in the passing game with six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4-yard score with 2:59 left that put the 49ers ahead 23-19 after a missed extra point.
The Eagles, leaning on Saquon Barkley—who rushed for 106 yards on 26 carries despite a fourth-quarter hip injury—converted a crucial fourth down but stalled. On fourth-and-11, Hurts' pass to Goedert was broken up by Kendricks, recently acquired by San Francisco, clinching the victory.
Purdy finished 18 of 31 for 262 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Hurts was 11 of 16 for 93 yards and a touchdown at halftime, but the offense managed only 307 total yards. Philadelphia drew seven penalties to San Francisco's one and possessed the ball for 35:39.
Tensions boiled over late in the second quarter when Eagles coach Nick Sirianni confronted wideout A.J. Brown after a dropped deep ball on third-and-9; staff separated them. At halftime, Sirianni told reporter Erin Andrews, 'Emotions, they run high especially in the playoffs,' adding that he and Brown would be fine. Brown, who had three catches for 25 yards and another drop, has voiced frustration with the offense's efficiency this season.
The 49ers advance to face the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round, overcoming a rash of injuries reminiscent of their 2023 NFC Championship loss to Philadelphia, where Purdy was hurt early.
