Had Brock Purdy not gotten hurt in the 49ers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, would the outcome have been different?
Nobody knows for sure. However, one thing is certain: if Purdy had not sustained a torn UCL, the 49ers would have put up a much better fight with a healthy quarterback.
Former Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the 49ers in free agency this week, joined KNBR 680's "Papa & Lund" on Friday where he discussed how Purdy and backup quarterback Josh Johnson's injuries impacted the game.
"We kind of knew it was going to be different when all you can do is run the ball," Hargrave said. "When both quarterbacks go out, and you know exactly what you're trying to do. Of course, it made it a lot easier for us."
"Trust me, we've seen the film on Brock escaping. We knew it was going to be a challenge trying to get to him, so it would have been, definitely, a different game if he had stayed up."
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With a functioning passing game, the 49ers likely would have scored more than seven points in what was expected to be a ferocious matchup between two of the best rosters in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers
Would the 49ers have represented the NFC in Super Bowl LVII had Purdy not gotten hurt? That is something fans will ponder for a long time.