Shanahan criticises Purdy despite heroic performance for 49ers

San Francisco’s wild-card triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday was a testament to both their talent and mentality. The sixth-seeded 49ers stunned the defending Super Bowl champions 23-19 in a hostile Lincoln Financial Field, advancing to the NFC divisional round.

Quarterback Brock Purdy was at the centre of that victory, removing his jersey to show everyone to large Superman logo on his chest before putting in a game-winning march in the final minutes; a key pass to Christian McCaffrey could not be completed like it was by a mere human being.

Yet despite Purdy’s heroic finish, head coach Kyle Shanahan did not shy away from getting out the kryptonite in his post-game comments. Shanahan acknowledged the leadership Purdy showed in the final stages, but he also highlighted the costly mistakes that nearly swung the game the other way.

“I just kept my mind fresh and go play one play at a time”

“Brock had a couple mistakes," he said, “obviously, with his two picks and stuff, but to come back on that last drive and get us in the end zone, lead us all the way down there and get to like the third guy in his progression on the touchdown, real proud of the guys.”

“I think it shows how they’ve been all year,” Shanahan said when asked what the victory said about his side. “They’ve been resilient all year. They’ve overcome a lot. They believe in each other a ton, and we knew we couldn’t come in here and just win by certain guys making plays. We knew we had to come in here and win as a complete team, and I really believe we played as a complete team today and that’s what we got it done.”

As for Purdy himself, who went 5 of 7 for 42 yards, he said that “the game is still there to go take.”

“I was just being real with myself and leaning into my faith and understanding that I’ve got to hold all this loosely, but try to go do God’s will,” he added, “and that’s every drive. Same thing happened at the end of the game. We needed to go do it. I just kept my mind fresh and go play one play at a time, every play has a life of its own, and still have that attack mentality every single play. That’s how I did it.”

Related stories

NFL

Brady stuns with elite tactical insight

NFL

The Texans ‘MVB’ steps up for Steelers Wild Card test

“There’s been times in my career and growing up there’s moments where it’s like, man, you got to go win it here,” Purdy said. “And in that moment, you can start thinking to yourself all the worst possible scenarios. So just learning from those kind of things so when there’s a moment like this, it’s like, no, there’s a moment right there for you to go take. Being aggressive but being smart and playing one play at a time and obviously just believing in yourself.”

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.