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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Christian D'Andrea

The NFL’s new emergency backup QB rule is like the NHL’s emergency goalie rule, but much less fun

In last January’s NFC Conference Championship, the San Francisco 49ers had just one available player they trusted to throw the football more than six yards downfield. That was Christian McCaffrey, who while very talented as all things football is decidedly not a quarterback.

Injuries to starter Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson (following regular season injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo) left the Niners in a desperate situation. As a result, San Francisco scored zero second half points and the Philadelphia Eagles ran away with a 31-7 victory that pushed them to Super Bowl 57.

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