Kyle Shanahan stunningly reveals Philip Rivers was READY to join the 49ers last season if they had made Super Bowl
Every quarterback in the 49ers' locker room had picked up injury so they wanted to bring Philip Rivers as an emergency back up.
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(L) Kyle Shanahan, (R) Philip Rivers (Image via Getty Images/USA Today Sports)
The San Francisco 49ers had devised a contingency plan for their lack of a healthy quarterback before they faced the Philadelphia Eagles for a place in the Super Bowl. They tried to bring Veteran Philip Rivers out of retirement if things became too dicey.
It did, as their stand-in third-choice rookie Brock Purdy played most of the season but picked up a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. His backup, Josh Johnson, was already out with a concussion. While Purdy did finish the game, by that time, he had lost his throwing ability. The 49ers’ other casualties included their starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, who broke his left foot in December. Moreover, Trey Lance was missing due to a broken right ankle since week 2.
The 49ers’ hierarchy decided to think outside the box and planned to recruit Rivers. They hoped to field the 41-year-old against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
When asked about the relevance of the rumors, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed to the San Francisco Chronicle,” He (Philip Rivers) was prepared to. That was the plan most of the year.”
However, that never materialized, as they failed to beat the Eagles. If they had somehow managed to win, Rivers would have appeared in the NFL for the first time since 2020. It would have been his first appearance in the championship game. The eight-time Pro Bowler never played in a Super Bowl, despite playing for 17 seasons.
During that time, Philip Rivers played for two franchises: the Los Angeles Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts. He recorded 63,440 passing yards and scored 421 touchdowns. Rivers led the NFL in passing in 2010 and also became the 2013 comeback player of the year.
What is Philip Rivers doing after retirement?
Besides looking forward to becoming a father for the 10th time in his life, Philip Rivers has been the head coach of the St. Michael Catholic High School football team since 2021. When he heard about the rumors that the 49ers were looking to sign him, he had this to say:
“I heard from a couple of teams,” he told AL.com. However, he denied any chance of returning to the NFL. “I didn’t contact anyone, and I’m not going anywhere. Some teams may have been looking for a contingency plan.”
The San Francisco 49ers traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the Raiders in the offseason. Now they are banking on Brock Purdy to replicate last year’s form. He will have stiff competition from Trey Lance throughout the campaign.
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