PHILADELPHIA — On a chilly January night at Lincoln Financial Field, the San Francisco 49ers delivered a performance that will be remembered for years to come, eliminating the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23-19 victory in the NFC Wild Card Round on January 11, 2026. The win not only ended the Eagles’ hopes for back-to-back titles but also propelled the 49ers into a much-anticipated divisional showdown against their NFC West rival, the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks.
From the opening whistle, this contest had all the makings of a playoff classic. Both teams traded touchdowns on their opening drives, hinting at a potential offensive shootout. For the 49ers, quarterback Brock Purdy wasted no time exorcising the ghosts of his previous visit to Philadelphia—a trip that ended in injury and heartbreak three seasons ago in the NFC Championship game. This time, Purdy completed all three passes for 74 yards on the opening drive, capping it off with a 2-yard touchdown toss to Demarcus Robinson, who finished the night with 111 yards receiving and set the tone for San Francisco’s offense.
The Eagles, determined to defend their crown, responded swiftly. Tight end Dallas Goedert, a red zone specialist with 11 touchdown receptions this season, became the first tight end in NFL postseason history to rush for a touchdown, sweeping in from one yard out. Goedert wasn’t done, later snagging a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to give the Eagles a 13-7 lead. But the 49ers’ Eddy Pineiro kept things close, drilling a 36-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 13-10 at halftime.
Tempers flared late in the first half as Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had to be separated from head coach Nick Sirianni following a heated sideline exchange. The frustration was palpable—Philadelphia’s offense sputtered, managing just 36 total yards on 16 plays in the third quarter. Despite two interceptions thrown by Purdy, both snagged by All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (named to the 2025 NFL All-Pro Team just a day earlier), the Eagles could only muster three points off those turnovers.
The real drama unfolded in the fourth quarter. The 49ers, trailing 16-10, dialed up a bit of magic. On the first play of the quarter, head coach Kyle Shanahan reached into his bag of tricks. Purdy flipped the ball to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who rolled right and lofted a perfect 29-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. The play not only gave San Francisco a 17-16 lead but also mirrored the kind of creative play-calling that once helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl. Jennings, who contributed 66 yards receiving and 48 rushing, was everywhere for the 49ers.
McCaffrey, who finished with 48 rushing yards on 15 carries and 66 receiving yards on six catches, was quick to praise his teammates: “We just focused on one play at a time,” he said, according to Reuters. “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.”
The Eagles briefly reclaimed the lead at 19-17 on a 33-yard field goal by Jake Elliott, but Purdy and the 49ers offense answered with a methodical 10-play, 66-yard drive. Facing third-and-goal, Purdy found McCaffrey for a 6-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with just under three minutes remaining. Pineiro’s missed extra point kept the margin at four, setting up one final chance for the Eagles.
With the season on the line, Hurts led Philadelphia deep into 49ers territory. On third-and-11, he missed DeVonta Smith, forcing a do-or-die fourth down. Hurts looked for his reliable target, Goedert, but 49ers linebacker Eric Kendricks read the play perfectly, breaking up the pass with 43 seconds left and effectively sealing the victory for San Francisco. “Our team fights,” McCaffrey added. “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.”
San Francisco’s defense, coordinated by Robert Saleh, was relentless all night, limiting Hurts to just 168 passing yards and one touchdown. The Eagles’ running game found some success with Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 106 yards on 26 carries and was seen using a stationary bike late in the game to stay loose. But Hurts, who was named Super Bowl MVP last year, was held to just 14 rushing yards on five attempts, and the Eagles never found their rhythm in the second half.
For the 49ers, the victory came at a cost. Star tight end George Kittle, a crucial part of both the run and pass game, was carted off late in the first half with a suspected torn right Achilles tendon and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest—and likely the rest of the playoffs. Kittle, who missed time earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, had just one catch before the injury. The loss of his leadership and playmaking ability could loom large as the postseason continues.
On the Eagles’ side, the defeat raises tough questions about the future. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s unit once again struggled in a big spot, and speculation is swirling that the team could make yet another change at the position. With prime years ticking away for Hurts, Barkley, and a talented receiving corps, Philadelphia faces a critical offseason.
Looking ahead, the 49ers’ path doesn’t get any easier. They’ll travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks in a divisional playoff showdown between NFC West rivals. The teams split their regular-season meetings, with San Francisco winning 17-13 in the opener and Seattle returning the favor, 13-3, in the season finale. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and with Kittle’s status uncertain, the 49ers will need to rally once more if they hope to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.
As the dust settles in Philadelphia, one thing is certain: the 49ers are surging at just the right time, while the Eagles are left searching for answers after a stunning early playoff exit. The road to the Lombardi Trophy rolls on, and if this wild-card clash was any indication, football fans are in for a wild ride.
