San Francisco 49ers Considered Retired QB Philip Rivers for Super Bowl as Injuries Plague Roster
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was prepared to make a bold and unprecedented decision if his team had won the NFC Championship game. With both starting quarterback Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson sidelined due to injuries, the Niners would have entered the Super Bowl without a viable quarterback option. To address this potential crisis, Shanahan explored the possibility of bringing back retired quarterback Philip Rivers, who had not played a snap in two seasons.
According to Shanahan, he had discussions with the former San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback about a potential return for the Super Bowl. Surprisingly, Rivers was open to the idea of suiting up for the Niners despite his two-year absence from the game. However, the team’s Super Bowl aspirations were thwarted as they lost the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles, primarily due to their depleted quarterback roster.
The 2022 season proved to be a challenging one for the 49ers in terms of quarterback injuries. Just two games into the campaign, planned starter Trey Lance went down with a season-ending injury. This setback forced Jimmy Garoppolo to step up, but he too succumbed to an injury after playing in eleven games. With their top two quarterbacks sidelined, the Niners had no choice but to turn to Brock Purdy, a rookie quarterback drafted last in that year’s draft.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, Purdy suffered a torn UCL during the NFC title game against Philadelphia. With Johnson replacing him, the 49ers’ offense continued to struggle, ultimately resulting in their crushing 31-7 defeat. It was after Purdy’s injury that Shanahan contemplated turning to Rivers for the Super Bowl, where the 41-year-old quarterback would have faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Philip Rivers, widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Chargers history, accumulated impressive career statistics of 59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdowns. During his time with the Chargers, he led the team to the AFC Championship game in 2007, narrowly losing to the undefeated New England Patriots. Overall, Rivers amassed a total of 63,440 passing yards, 421 touchdowns, and 209 interceptions throughout his NFL career spanning from 2004 to 2020. In the playoffs, he recorded 2,965 passing yards and 16 touchdowns across twelve games.
While the possibility of Rivers coming out of retirement to play in the Super Bowl for the 49ers remains an intriguing what if scenario, injuries ultimately derailed their championship dreams. The team’s quest for a healthy and reliable quarterback continues as they plan for the future. Despite their setbacks, the 49ers can take solace in the fact that they came close to a unique solution for their quarterback crisis, even if it never came to fruition.
In conclusion, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers considered turning to retired quarterback Philip Rivers for the Super Bowl as injuries decimated their roster. Although the team’s dream of reaching the championship game was dashed, the discussion of Rivers potentially returning to the field after two years added an interesting twist to their season. Regardless, the 49ers will need to reassess their quarterback situation moving forward and focus on building a healthy and competitive team for the upcoming seasons.
