Sunday’s NFC championship game between the Eagles and 49ers took a turn for the ugly in the dying minutes, as an afternoon full of frustration appeared to reach a breaking point for San Francisco.
With Philadelphia holding a commanding 31–7 lead, tempers flared on the 49ers’ final possession of the game. After a third-down rush by Christian McCaffrey that left San Francisco short of the line, action continued through the referees’ whistle as players kept pushing and jawing at each other. The action culminated with 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams throwing defensive back K’Von Wallace to the ground in a move straight out of a WWE main event.
Both Williams and Wallace were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and both were ejected from the game.
The 49ers’ offense was hampered by the early elbow injury to rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who left after the team’s opening possession. Fourth-string quarterback Josh Johnson came in to replace him but was subsequently forced to leave early in the third quarter with a concussion. Purdy eventually returned but was unable to throw the ball down the field.
