The San Francisco 49ers have shown all season they should never be counted out. This is a team that was hammered by injuries, yet still found a way to win 12 games and a chance at the No. 1seed in the final week of the campaign. Their first opponent was the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
On Sunday, the 49ers once again surprised the NFL world, as they defeated the Eagles 23-19 to advance to the Divisional Round. One key player who helped the 49ers pick up the upset was running back Christian McCaffrey, who hauled in two receiving touchdowns, including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter.
After the game, McCaffrey spoke with FOX Sports sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi about the 49ers' huge win. McCaffrey praised the team's resiliency, especially on Sunday in Philadelphia.
2 TDs for @CMC_22. He caught up with Tom Rinaldi after the @49ers big win against the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/dMRvsSVxGJ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 12, 2026
"Our team fights. We take each day at a time and go as hard as we can every single time...man, I love this group so much. I don't have enough good things to say," said McCaffrey.
Christian McCaffrey praises 49ers' resiliency after upset playoff win over Eagles
It's hard to disagree with McCaffrey, considering how much the team put up with throughout the season for them to make the playoffs. The main issue was the injury bug that seemingly would never go away.
A lot of the 49ers' top names missed significant time this season. From Fred Warner to Nick Bosa to Mykel Williams to Ricky Pearsall to even Brock Purdy earlier in the season. It felt like every week the 49ers were dealing with a significant injury.
Unsurprisingly, the 49ers were dealt another huge hit in the Wild Card Round. In the first half, star tight end George Kittle had to be carted off due to an Achilles injury, where he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed after the game that Kittle tore his Achilles and that he is out for the remainder of the season. That would normally sink a team for the remainder of the game, but not the 49ers.
McCaffrey's two receiving touchdowns arrived from two different passers. There was Purdy on his four-yard touchdown catch with under three minutes left in regulation. Then, there was his 29-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver Jauan Jennings on a trick play.
McCaffrey finished the game with 48 rushing yards on 15 carries while hauling in six-of-eight targets for 66 yards.
Now, the 49ers move on to face a rival in the Divisional Round — the Seattle Seahawks. This will be a rematch from the regular season finale, where the Seahawks won 13-3 to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. The 49ers will be out for revenge, even though they will be shorthanded. But given their resiliency, and their playoff success in recent years, the 49ers can't be counted out.