Brock Purdy didn’t hesitate to own up to it - and honestly, who can blame him?
In the San Francisco 49ers’ gritty 23-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, a game that punched their ticket to the Divisional Round, Purdy made what he called a “business decision.” The moment came during a pivotal trick play in the fourth quarter, one that flipped the momentum and helped seal one of the more surprising playoff wins so far.
The play itself was a thing of beauty - wide receiver Jauan Jennings took a reverse and launched a 29-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffrey. That score gave San Francisco a 17-16 lead, and it was the kind of play that playoff legends are built on. But behind the highlight-reel moment was a bit of subtle drama: as Jennings let the ball fly, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter came barreling in and delivered a big hit, drawing a roughing the passer penalty.
Purdy, who was in position to throw a block, opted not to. And after the game, he didn’t try to spin it.
“I was on the edge, sort of blocking, sort of not on the play,” Purdy told reporters. “And then I look back, saw JJ get hit and I was like, ‘Dang dude. Should I have done something about that?’”
He followed up with a smile, adding, “I looked back to JJ and was like, ‘You’re alright?’ and then celebrated. It was a really cool play.”
Now, context matters here. This wasn’t just any game for Purdy - this was a rematch with the same Eagles team that knocked him out of last year’s NFC Championship Game with a serious elbow injury.
That moment ended the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes and left Purdy with a long recovery. So when Jalen Carter came charging in full steam, Purdy made the kind of decision that quarterbacks have to make sometimes: live to play another down.
And it’s not like the 49ers were playing at full strength. They came into the game without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, and then lost star tight end George Kittle early on.
That’s a huge hit to any offense, let alone one trying to outlast a physical Eagles team in January. But San Francisco found a way - leaning on creativity, grit, and a little bit of trickery.
The win sets up a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, a divisional matchup that always brings the heat. And while fans will have their theories about how this postseason is unfolding, one thing is clear: Purdy and the 49ers are finding ways to win, even when the odds aren’t stacked in their favor.
As for Purdy’s “business decision”? Let’s just say it paid off.