Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers travel to Philadelphia for a playoff bout on Sunday afternoon. The Niners quarterback hopes to make it more than one series before having his day derailed this time.
Three seasons ago, Purdy led San Francisco to the 2022 NFC Championship bout in Philly, but tore his UCL on the first series of the contest. After backup Josh Johnson suffered a third-quarter concussion, Purdy returned but was clearly restricted, attempting three listless passes the rest of the contest.
A 31-7 Eagles romp followed the QB injuries -- and eventually led to the NFL instituting the emergency third-QB rule.
Ahead of the postseason rematch, Purdy was asked if he reflects on his journey since that injury, from upstart seventh-rounder to $53 million per-year QB.
"A little bit, but not really," Purdy said, via the team's official transcript. "Obviously, I'm thankful to be able to have healed up from the injury, go to the Super Bowl and have three more seasons after what had happened there. But you know, more than anything, it's our 2025 season and trying to finish strong and go in and compete against a new team, scheme kind of feel. That's where my mindset is with that. Obviously, we know Philly from being there and their environment, their fans, all the things. It's getting prepared for that right now rather than having flashbacks or anything like that. I already went there in 2023 and played after what had happened in '22. So, I feel like that's out of the way and ready to move on."
Purdy led the Niners to a 42-10 regular-season demolition of the 2023 Eagles, jumpstarting Philly's nosedive, which would culminate in a first-round playoff exit.
Recollecting the 2022 postseason injury, Purdy said in the moment feared it could be career-altering.
"Back in '22? Yeah," he said. "You tear your UCL, the ligament that you use as a quarterback, as a thrower, obviously you start thinking about your future and things and coming back from the injury and it was at the end of the year, so I was questioning will I be back in time, will I be the guy come the start of the season? Stuff like that. So yeah, I feel like in the moment, yes, but now we're moved on and ready to go."
Purdy made the Pro Bowl in 2023, got paid this offseason, and if not for a toe injury that caused him to miss eight games in 2025, would have been in line for more postseason accolades.
Sunday in Philly, he leads a banged-up 49ers squad, missing a host of starters and himself dealing with a shoulder issue stemming from Week 18's loss. He'll face a menacing Vic Fangio-led Eagles defense that has allowed just 15.6 points per game and a 54.3 completion rate since Week 10.
"I feel like, who the Eagles are, that sort of still feels the same, just in terms of them being a really good organization and a team that's going to bring it every game and you've got to be on your best to have a chance against them," he said of facing Philly again. "So, we all feel that. That in itself is the same."
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