NFL playoffs: San Francisco 49ers knock out defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with stunning upset

The San Francisco 49ers pulled off a sensational 23-19 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to knock them out of the NFL playoffs in the Wild Card round.

The already banged-up 49ers, who were without key players like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Ricky Pearsall to injury - among numerous others - also lost talismanic tight end George Kittle in the first half to a torn Achilles that ends his season.

But San Francisco's playoff run is far from over, as they now head to NFC No 1 seeds Seattle Seahawks in next week's Divisional Round.

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Despite the loss of Kittle and the 49ers being down by six entering the fourth quarter, they'd take the lead on the very next play, a magnificent trick-play TD in which receiver Jauan Jennings tossed a 29-yard scoring strike to Christian McCaffrey.

The Eagles, whose offense badly stalled in the second half - limited to just 23 yards up until that point, reclaimed the lead - going up 19-17 - with a field goal off the back of a second Brock Purdy interception with eight minutes to go.

But Purdy answered back to lead another scoring drive - this time finding McCaffrey in the end zone himself for what would prove the game-winning score with just under three minutes remaining.

The Eagles converted on a 4th and 5 from their own 45-yard line with the game on the line, ultimately driving down to the San Francisco 21-yard line before Jalen Hurts threw three-straight incompletions to end the contest - recently acquired 49ers linebacker Eric Kendricks breaking up the key fourth down pass from Hurts intended for Dallas Goedert.

Stats leaders:

49ers

• Passing: Brock Purdy, 18/31, 262 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
• Rushing: Christian McCaffrey, 15 carries, 48 yards
• Receiving: Demarcus Robinson, 6 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD

Eagles

• Passing: Jalen Hurts, 20/35, 168 yards, 1 TD
• Rushing: Saquon Barkley, 26 carries, 106 yards
• Receiving: DeVonta Smith, 9 catches, 70 yards

San Francisco had come flying out of the blocks on offense, scoring on their opening series as Demarcus Robinson followed up a monster 61-yard reception on just the second play from scrimmage with a five-yard TD to cap the drive.

Philadelphia answered back immediately as Goedert bagged his first of two first-half touchdowns, running in this one from down at the goal line before coming down with a nine-yard grab in the end zone to earn the Eagles the lead in the second quarter.

The 49ers, after their explosive start, were suddenly stalling on offense amidst Kittle's injury, going three-and-out twice before adding an Eddy Piniero field goal to cut the Eagles' lead to three at 13-10.

Some poor clock management denied San Francisco the chance to tie things up in the final minute before the half, which was ended with a Purdy fumble out of bounds as the clock ran down.

Despite leading, Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown had to be separated from head coach Nick Sirianni by chief security officer Dom DiSandro late in the first half during a sideline bust up.

Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled in Sirianni's direction after the Eagles punted to end a drive in which he had a couple of drops on back-to-back plays.

Purdy was picked off to end the 49ers' opening series of the second half - Quinyon Mitchell coming down with both of the quarterback's interceptions - but the Eagles' increasingly anaemic offense couldn't capitalise on the error.

A Jake Elliott field goal late in the third quarter would stretch Philly's advantage to six once more, at 16-10, before the 49ers rallied in superb fashion in the final quarter to clinch a remarkable road victory over the defending champs and keep their own Super Bowl dreams alive.

Watch every minute of the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium live on Sky Sports NFL.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: NFL playoffs: San Francisco 49ers knock out defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with stunning upset