As a result, the 49ers were left without a chance, as the Eagles easily advanced to the Super Bowl, where they eventually lost to the Chiefs in a 38-35 battle.
Of course, without Purdy, it seemed that the 49ers wouldn't have had a single chance to beat the Chiefs, but a recent detail was revealed this weekend that could've altered the team's season.
In an exclusive interview with the San Francisco Chronicle's Mike Silver, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, formerly of the 49ers and now with the Las Vegas Raiders, revealed that he would've played had the team reached the Super Bowl, despite having suffered a broken foot in Week 13 that cost him the rest of the year.
"Oh yeah, I was playing," Garoppolo said. "That was kind of the plan of not getting the surgery [after suffering the injury]."
However, that situation never materialized, as the 49ers were blown out, and Garoppolo eventually had surgery on his foot, which placed his agreement with the Raiders in jeopardy, although a passed physical before training camp nullified that issue.
In the interview, Garoppolo acknowledged that he may have pushed himself too hard in trying to recover in time last season, hoping to play before the end of the year.
"It was wild," Garoppolo said. "I was doing my thing, trying to get my foot ready. That didn't work out how I wished it would have. But those guys, going through three quarterbacks and still making it to the NFC Championship Game, that's damn impressive for a team.
"It was my choosing," Garoppolo said. "I wanted to do that because I knew if something like that championship game did happen, I wanted to be out there. Whatever. It's all in the past now. Things worked out the way they did, and I'm happy with how it all worked out."
While the information is only coming out months later, it's an interesting statement for Garoppolo, who seemed to have pushed himself too hard but still would've been ready two weeks later to play.
But, as Garoppolo said, it's all in the past now, as both sides have gone their separate ways and are now looking ahead to the 2023 season, which coincidentally starts in a bout against each other on Sunday.
Written By:
Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
All articles by Rohan Chakravarthi
@RohanChakrav
YouTube Channel
Rohan Chakravarthi
Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
All articles by Rohan Chakravarthi
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
What would it cost the 49ers to trade for Maxx Crosby?
The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to pursue pass-rush help this offseason. So whenever trade speculation around Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby surfaces, the 49ers are almost always mentioned as a potential landing spot. It's easy to see why. San Francisco's... -
49ers named best fit for Super Bowl champion CB set to hit free agency
The secondary could be one of several position groups the San Francisco 49ers target this offseason, particularly if they hope to keep pace with the offensive firepower of NFC West rivals like the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. In a recent piece for Bleacher Report,... -
49ers restore locker room after Seahawks' Super Bowl LX takeover
The San Francisco 49ers locker room at Levi's Stadium looked a little different during Super Bowl LX — and not in a way 49ers players appreciated. Although the Seattle Seahawks were officially designated as the away team, they were assigned the home locker room and even wore... -
49ers' George Kittle is PFF's top TE — but can he return to form?
When it comes to elite NFL tight ends, George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers still sets the standard. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Kittle was the highest-graded tight end in 2025, earning a stellar 90.7 offensive grade. Even in an injury-shortened campaign, the...