San Francisco 49ers players clashed with Philadelphia Eagles stars as tempers flared during the end of the NFC Championship Game.
With quarterback injuries derailing the 49ers’ hopes, San Francisco players reached breaking point in the fourth quarter. Christian McCaffrey rushed for five yards only for the teams to get into a tussle on the field.
It appeared to be relatively sane until dominant offensive tackle Trent Williams marched in and picked up Eagles safety K’Von Wallace before throwing him to the turf. Both benches cleared as players raced onto the pitch to get involved as Williams appeared to throw punches.
San Francisco rookie sensation Brock Purdy suffered an elbow injury and was taken out of the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, only for his replacement Johnson to suffer a concussion and be ruled out of the remainder of the game. The Eagles took advantage of the 49ers' plight to secure a crucial 31-7 victory.
Williams was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty after body-slamming Wallace as the player was holding onto the wideout Deebo Samuel. Things then escalated as it developed into an all-out fight, with both rosters getting involved.
The referees decided there were offsetting penalties, with both Williams - who earned his second selection to the All-Pro team for his play in the regular season - and Wallace ejected. Both men are likely to receive fines from commissioner Roger Goodell and there is a risk of suspension, although this is unlikely.
A fine is far more likely than a suspension, particularly for Wallace who will be desperate to play in the Super Bowl. Each week, the NFL reviews plays and they will analyse the on-field personal foul call for unnecessary roughness as well as the scrap that followed.
The Eagles will face the winner of the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII in two weeks. The Chiefs welcome the Bengals to Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship Game.
