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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Glenn Erby

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan on avoiding season opener vs. Eagles: I want to play them at a better time

The Eagles and 49ers will meet during the 2023 regular season, but it won’t happen until Week 13 when quarterback Brock Purdy should be healthy.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan made the mistake of addressing the NFC Championship rematch, telling the Mercury News that he wants to meet Philadelphia “at a better time.”

“I am glad we’re not playing Philly Week 1,” Shanahan said Wednesday night at the Dwight Clark Legacy Series at the California Theatre. “ I want to play them at a better time. I want to make sure our whole team is right there.

“..: We felt we didn’t get to do it last time, and I’m ready to go back again.”

Quarterback Brock Purdy now gets ample time to recover from his right-elbow surgery, which occurred on March 10 after his injury left the 49ers shorthanded in the 31-7 beatdown at Philadelphia in late January.

After the Eagles jumped out to a 7-0 on the game’s opening drive on a 6-yard Miles Sanders touchdown run, linebacker Haason Reddick knocked Purdy out of the game with a strip sack that injured his elbow.

Veteran journeyman Josh Johnson replaced Purdy until he was knocked out of the game with a concussion on a Ndamukong Suh hit early in the third quarter.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts finished 15-of-25 for 121 yards with no touchdowns or, most importantly, turnovers. Hurts added 39 yards on the ground. The Eagles were 4-of-6 in the red zone, while Reddick logged three tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

The 49ers were limited to just 164 total yards, 11 first downs, and a 2-of-8 conversion rate on third down and have spent the entire offseason whining and wondering what if.

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