The Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers to open the first round of the playoffs on Sunday. The last time both teams met was on Dec. 3 of the 2023 regular season, when the 49ers avenged an NFC championship loss to the Eagles a year prior.
Now, the Eagles enter as 4.5-point favorites. Will quarterback Brock Purdy lead the 49ers to a win in the postseason? Or will the Eagles back-to-back hopes stay alive?
Here’s what the 49ers players and coaches are saying about the Eagles …
‘Obviously, we know Philly’
Almost three years ago, the 49ers and the Eagles met in the NFC championship game. The Eagles dominated the 49ers at home in a 31-7 victory to secure their spot in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the loss, Purdy tore his UCL in the first quarter, but returned to the field after the team’s backup quarterback, Josh Johnson, suffered a third-quarter concussion. Entering Sunday’s game, Purdy isn’t focused on his past encounters with the team.
“More than anything, it’s our 2025 season and we’re trying to finish strong and compete against a new team, scheme, kind of feel,” Purdy told reporters. “That’s where my mindset is at with that. Obviously, we know Philly, being there, their environment, their fans, all the things. It’s about getting prepared for that right now, rather than having flashbacks or anything like that.
“I already went in there in 2023 and played after what had happened in 2022. So, I feel like that’s out of the way and we’re ready to move on.”
The following season, the 49ers traveled back to Lincoln Financial Field during Week 13 and avenged the NFC championship loss with a 42-19 win over the Birds.
“Two completely different outcomes,” George Kittle told reporters this week. “They whooped up on us the first time. Then we did it the next year. I try not to think too much about that. I try not to hold onto grudges or anything like that because I think that just kind of clouds your judgment and you’re thinking about all this stuff that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters to us is beating the Eagles who we haven’t played in two years.”
Although both teams have history with one another, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is only focused on one thing.
“We have history with the team, but this is about executing, it’s about controlling what you can control, and going out there and playing extremely hard,” McCaffrey said.
‘They hate us all equally’
And when it comes to traveling to the Linc, the 49ers are just as familiar with the Philly fan base. On Thursday, Kittle reflected on his past experiences in the city.
“The one thing that’s really unique about Philly is that they don’t really — I mean, maybe like a division rival is different, but any other road team that comes in there, they hate all of us equally and I just appreciate that,” Kittle said. “It’s incredibly loud, they flip you off, they moon you on your bus ride in.
“But, they do that to everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re the 49ers, if you’re the Jacksonville Jaguars. It doesn’t matter. They just give you that no matter what and I appreciate that because you can tell how much they love their team.”
The veteran tight end has played four times in Philly, including that 2023 playoff game, but appreciates each one. “I just thoroughly enjoy it because it’s so unique every single time,” Kittle said.
However, there was one moment that really stood out to the seven-time Pro Bowler.
“I’ll never forget my rookie season, the year they won the Super Bowl, it was my first time playing in the Linc,” Kittle recalled. “There were like four 10-year-old kids holding a seven-foot-tall papier-mâché middle finger that had a rotating thing on it that made the middle finger come up. That was the coolest thing, I’ll never forget it. That was my rookie year and I was like this is excellent.”
Playing on the road in the postseason may be a tough challenge for the 49ers, but it’s one that fullback Kyle Juszczyk is ready to take on, especially in Philly.
“It’s more difficult [going into a hostile environment] but the payoff is better,” Juszczyk told reporters. “There’s nothing like that feeling of going into a hostile territory and getting a win. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult but it’ll be worth it in the end.”
‘It’s a big challenge’
Sunday’s game likely hinges on Vic Fangio’s Eagles defense vs. Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense. Shanahan spoke earlier this week about how much respect he has for Fangio — and how he’s tried to hire him multiple times — but he’s not the only member of the Niners who appreciate the test they’ll face Sunday.
“I feel like Kyle does a good job at making sure we all understand what kind of game it’s going to be,” Purdy said. “If they’re going to load the box, what our answer is. If they’re not, let’s do our job — whether it’s still throwing the ball or running the ball efficiently.
“I feel like the Eagles do a really good job at switching things up and making it hard to run the ball with the front that they have and dropping guys back in coverage. So, we respect the heck out of what they do. But, we also have to be on top of our job and have success in what we’ve always done.”
The Eagles defense has been dominant this season, especially down the stretch, and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak credits much of its success to coaching — and a physical defensive line.
“It always starts with the players,” Kubiak told reporters. “They’re super talented on defense, up front especially. It starts with 98, he’s one of the most talented interior players that we’ve gone against. All three levels, they’re talented. Extremely well coached and coordinated.
“Vic [Fangio] knows how to identify what you’re trying to do and take away those things that your offense is trying to exploit. That’s why they’re a top defense. We’re going on the road. So, the environment is going to make it harder. So, it’s a big challenge.”
On the opposite side of the ball, the Eagles have struggled to find an identity. But 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is well aware of the threat that Saquon Barkley still possesses.
“I still think he’s elite,” Saleh said. “I know his production isn’t what it was a year ago. But he’s still a damn good football player. He’s still a threat to break it anytime he touches the ball. [Jeff] Stoutland is still one of the best O-line coaches in all of football, creating good angles and creating space for the backs. They can still run the ball as good as anybody.”
