NATIONAL NEWS

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

Jan 11, 2026, 4:57 PM | Updated: 5:22 pm

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts to a touchdown pass to 49ers running back C...

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts to a touchdown pass to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brock Purdy threw a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffery 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.

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 McCaffery 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 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.

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