Current:Home > StocksThe Eagles-49ers feud is about to be reignited. What led to beef between NFC powers? -FundCenter
The Eagles-49ers feud is about to be reignited. What led to beef between NFC powers?
View
Date:2025-04-19 02:47:44
The San Francisco 49ers have been waiting for a rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles for more than 10 months.
Since last season's NFC championship game, played on Jan. 28, 2023, there has been a lot of chatter – particularly from the 49ers' side – about the circumstances that led to the Eagles' 31-7 victory.
But once the current season began, Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick told KYW Newsradio Sunday, the bulletin board material has receded.
"Talk is cheap," Reddick said.
"It was a lot of boo-hoos last year, a lot of crying, a lot of 'What if?' A lot of this, a lot of that," the Eagles edge rusher added. "They get a chance to come back in here, line that (stuff) up, and prove it again."
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Football fans would love nothing more, the top two teams in the NFC duking it out on the same field again on Sunday. Here's how the bad blood between the two sides began boiling.
Eagles, 49ers clash in 2022 NFC Championship Game
At the outset of last postseason, the two teams meeting in the conference title tilt was a fait accompli. The Eagles, despite a late-season injury to quarterback Jalen Hurts, were the No. 1 seed wire to wire.
San Francisco belonged in that top tier and defeated the Dallas Cowboys to meet Philadelphia with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. That the 49ers had won seven straight games with Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 draft, at quarterback made their season all the more impressive.
Brock Purdy's injury changes 2022 NFC championship game
On the Niners' first drive of the game, Purdy faked a handoff and dropped back to pass with the San Francisco already at midfield and trailing 7-0. Tight end Tyler Kroft tried to block Reddick coming off the edge, but Reddick – having his best season as a professional in his first season with Philadelphia – curled right by Kroft.
Reddick stopped Purdy's throwing motion by strip-sacking him, but he did more than that. Purdy suffered a torn UCL on the play and needed offseason surgery to fix the injury. Journeyman backup Josh Johnson became the fourth quarterback San Francisco used in that campaign, with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo already having suffered season-ending injuries). Johnson eventually had to leave the game after suffering a concussion, and Purdy, unable to throw a football, had to reenter.
The Eagles cruised and went on to lose Super Bowl 57 to the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks later.
Niners players feel wronged after loss
Dejected after the loss, one Niners player anonymously told the San Francisco Chronicle, "It felt like once Purdy got hurt, someone at the league called down and said, ‘Make sure the Eagles get to the Super Bowl, and not (the Niners).’"
The Eagles gained seven first downs via penalties in the game and San Francisco was flagged 11 times for 81 yards compared to the Eagles' four penalties for 34 yards.
Brandon Aiyuk: '(Eagles) got extremely lucky'
A week before the Super Bowl, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had plenty to say about the outcome of the NFC title game.
"We have, hands down, the best football team in the league. Hands down. ... I’m not going even going to argue with anyone who thinks they should argue that," Aiyuk told The SFNiners.
Aiyuk also had his doubts about the Eagles' defense.
"I’m not sure. I think this Kansas City pass game will expose what we thought we were going to expose before some unfortunate circumstances," Aiyuk said. "They got extremely lucky."
Christian McCaffrey: 'It feels like something got stolen'
Also making Super Bowl-week media rounds, Niners running back Christian McCaffrey, who scored his team's lone touchdown against the Eagles, didn't want to make excuses. That didn't stop him from couching the Eagles' victory.
"It's really tough," McCaffrey told Kay Adams on the "Up & Adams" show. "You don't want to make excuses obviously. It just sucks because we wish we had a healthy quarterback for a full game.
"It's a really good team that we played. But it feels like something got stolen from you."
The biggest beef? Deebo Samuel vs. Eagles' James Bradberry
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel agreed with Aiyuk's assessment that the Niners were the best team "no question" and that it would have "100 percent" been a different game if not for Purdy's injury.
"I ain’t going to keep going on about what could’ve happened and what would’ve happened but yeah, it would’ve definitely been a different outcome," Samuel told Complex in May.
"We lost because we played with 10 people."
He added: "(My) most hated team is the Eagles right now."
During an appearance on the "I Am Athlete" podcast, Samuel complimented the Eagles' pass rush and cornerback Darius Slay. But he delivered a shot at corner James Bradberry.
"Trash" was how Samuel described Bradberry.
Asked this week if he regretted any comments about the Eagles or Bradberry, Samuel responded, "I don't regret nothing I say."
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown instructed his followers on X that it was "troll (Samuel) week."
"You have my permission," Brown wrote.
Kyle Shanahan wants his team to get fair, full shot at Eagles
One person who is not a fan of Philadelphia: Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, who said in May his wife will not be in attendance Sunday because of her experience in the stands of Lincoln Financial Field in January.
"I don't like going back to Philly again," Shanahan said, according to Philadelphia sports radio station 94WIP.
Shanahan was pleased that the game was later in the season since San Francisco was unsure how healthy Purdy would be entering the regular season.
"I want to make sure our whole team is right there. … We feel like we didn’t get to do it last time, and I’m ready to go back again," Shanahan said, via The Athletic.
veryGood! (96226)
Related
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Feds: Cockfighting ring in Rhode Island is latest in nation to exploit animals
- A Mississippi Confederate monument covered for 4 years is moved
- Phoenix could finally break its streak of 100-degree days
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- Jordan Chiles deserved Olympic bronze medal. And so much more
- Heat Protectants That Will Save Your Hair From Getting Fried
- Suspension of security clearance for Iran envoy did not follow protocol, watchdog says
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Dancing With the Stars' Jenn Tran Shares How She's Leaning on Jonathan Johnson After Breakup
Ranking
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- What to know about the threats in Springfield, Ohio, after false claims about Haitian immigrants
- Proof You're Probably Saying Olympian Ilona Maher's Name Wrong
- 'Heartbreaking': Mass. police recruit dies after getting knocked out in training exercise
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- 'Survivor' Season 47 premiere: Date, time, cast, how to watch and stream
- Longshoremen at key US ports threatening to strike over automation and pay
- Why Dolly Parton Is Defending the CMAs After Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Snub
Recommendation
Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
AP PHOTOS: Life continues for Ohio community after Trump falsely accused Haitians of eating pets
The Laneige Holiday Collection 2024 Is Here: Hurry to Grab Limited-Edition Bestsellers, Value Sets & More
How Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos Dealt With Guilt of Moving On After Husband's Death
Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
Ping pong balls thrown at Atlanta city council members in protest of mayor, 'Cop City'
JoJo Details Battles With Alcohol and Drug Addictions
JoJo Details Battles With Alcohol and Drug Addictions