Johnson was in pain throughout the run, which included an NFC Championship Game win over the San Francisco 49ers. However, the two-time All-Pro wasn't the only one fighting through an injury. Both of the 49ers' quarterbacks suffered injuries in the game. First, Brock Purdy left after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. Then, he was forced to return to the field after his backup, Josh Johnson, suffered a concussion.
Purdy couldn't throw the football, though, creating a frustrating situation for the Niners and their watching fanbase.
With the 49ers forced to abandon their passing game, the Eagles cruised to a 31-7 win. Most believe the matchup would have been much more competitive if San Francisco had a healthy quarterback.
"I ain't going to keep going on about what could've happened and what would've happened, but yeah, it would've definitely been a different outcome," 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel recently said. "... We lost because we played with 10 people."
Johnson agrees.
"Obviously, players get motivated from that, but from what he said, it's not too far off," Johnson told Rich Eisen this week. "I do think, obviously, if the quarterback doesn't go down, it is a different game. I feel like they obviously weren't able to utilize the team that they were the majority of the second half. And so, yeah, I believe it would have been a lot more competitive game."
Purdy underwent surgery on March 10, and the 49ers hope their second-year quarterback returns in time for Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Johnson added, "It was a major injury that he's still bouncing back from. ... No, it was a weird predicament to be in. I obviously know they were frustrated to have it go down to that."
On December 3, the 49ers and Eagles will face each other at Lincoln Financial Field in a rematch of that NFC Championship bout.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers Notebook: Nick Bosa, Fred Warner reflect on 'embarrassing' defensive season; Joshua Dobbs reveals what he's looking for in a future team; A healthy George is a happy George
And with that, the 2024 season comes to an end... mercifully. For anyone who has been watching the San Francisco 49ers over the past two months, Sunday's 47-24 road loss to the Arizona Cardinals was more of the same -- turnovers, a missed field goal, poor defense, penalties,... -
49ers mailbag: Will Brock Purdy take a team-friendly deal? Who else will SF fire? What will the 49ers do with the number 11 pick?
It's January, and the San Francisco 49ers are at home watching the postseason. It's not what the team or the fans wanted, but there is hope that it could be the best thing for the players, giving them the time to rest, recover, and reset. For all we know, this time next year,... -
Brock Purdy eager to finalize 49ers contract quickly: "I want to be very professional about it"
Neither the San Francisco 49ers nor their young quarterback, Brock Purdy, wants the upcoming contract extension negotiations to drag deep into the offseason. On Monday, Purdy expressed his eagerness to finalize the deal quickly to avoid unnecessary distractions. The 49ers are... -
Will Brock Purdy hold out if negotiations stall? The 49ers QB weighs in
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy recently expressed his desire to finalize a contract extension quickly to avoid offseason distractions. However, all of that is in the hands of his agent and the 49ers, with previous standoffs a reminder of how these talks can stretch...