Purdy, 49ers eliminate defending Super Bowl champion Eagles with 23-19 win in wild-card game

PHILADELPHIA — Brock Purdy threw a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey late in the fourth quarter, San Francisco used a trick play on a TD toss from wide receiver Jauan Jennings, and the 49ers eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23-19 wild-card victory Sunday.

The 49ers head to top-seeded Seattle next weekend for an NFC divisional playoff game. The NFC West rivals split the season series.

‘’We just focused on one play at a time," McCaffrey said. “We knew it was going to be a 12-round fight. That’s what we kept saying. We just had to stick to it. No matter what happened during the game, good or bad, we just keep trusting each other and ended up winning.’’

Purdy threw for 262 yards and got the road win in Philadelphia he failed to get three seasons ago when he was injured in a dismal outing in Philadelphia in a loss in the NFC title game.

Purdy had two passes intercepted in this one by All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, but the Eagles scored just three points off the turnovers.

The 49ers could head to Seattle without star tight end George Kittle, who was carted off the field with a right Achilles tendon injury late in the first half.

The Eagles — who won a Super Bowl on a trick play — were foiled by one when Jennings was pitched the ball and rolled right and hit McCaffrey on a 29-yard touchdown. The score on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the 49ers a 17-16 lead.

The Eagles would only get Jake Elliott’s 33-yard field goal in the quarter for a brief 19-17 lead.

Philadelphia was again doomed by a lethargic offensive effort under embattled offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo that cost it a shot at a repeat championship. Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts threw for only 168 yards and a touchdown and the Eagles failed to build off a 13-10 halftime lead by totaling only 36 total yards in the third quarter on 16 plays.

Hurts was incomplete on a last-gasp fourth-and-11 attempt with 43 seconds left that ended their final drive.

‘’Our team fights,’’ McCaffrey said. “I love this group so much. I don’t have enough good things to say about it. I’m proud to be a part of this team.’’

The game never reached its offensive slugfest potential after the teams traded touchdowns on their opening drives.

The Eagles tied it on a 1-yard sweep by Dallas Goedert, their red zone go-to ace with 11 TD receptions who became the first tight end to rush for a score in NFL postseason history.

The Eagles turned again to Goedert on fourth down when Hurts hit him for a 9-yard TD that made it 13-7.

Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yarder for the 49ers that cut it to 13-10 at halftime.

Heat of the moment

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had to be separated from coach Nick Sirianni by chief security officer Dom DiSandro during a sideline blowup late in the first half. Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled more in Sirianni’s direction after the Eagles punted to end a drive.

A day after he was named to the 2025 NFL All-Pro Team, Mitchell had his first two interceptions of the season. Mitchell has four career postseason picks, but none in two full regular seasons.

Injuries

Kittle was pushed out of bounds on a 6-yard reception and grabbed the back of his lower right leg. He was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Kittle is a key part of both the run and pass game for the 49ers, but played in just 11 games this season because of injuries. He missed five games early this season with a hamstring injury.

Despite some encouragement this week he could return from a foot injury, two-time All-Pro offensive lineman Lane Johnson again sat out. Johnson had limited participation in three practices headed into the game that raised hope he could play for the first time since he was hurt in Week 10.

Up next

49ers: Will try to win another postseason game on the road. The 49ers won 17-13 in Seattle in the season opener only for the Seahawks to return the favor with a 13-3 win in the season finale.

Eagles: Could make yet another change at offensive coordinator as they try not to waste more prime years from Hurts, Barkley and the receivers.

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