Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) is unable to make a catch as San Francisco 49ers safety Marques Sigle (36) looks on during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
Here lie the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles.
A strange, confusing, and above all, frustrating season came to a somewhat merciful conclusion Sunday evening. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Eagles by a final score of 23-19, knocking the Birds out of the playoffs.
The Wild Card game was just like every other 2025 Eagles game: an absolute slog to watch. The Eagles were outplayed by a banged up 49ers team. OnPattison will have much more analysis to come, but let's get into some immediate takeaways.
The 49ers, although extremely injured, were a disciplined team throughout 2025. Their 83 penalties were the least in the NFL. In comparison, the Eagles' 117 flags were good for 11th-worst in the league. The disparity showed Sunday evening.
While the 49ers were called for just one penalty and 15 yards, the Eagles were penalized seven times, handing the 49ers 48 yards. Many of those penalties came at extremely inopportune moments.
Two Eagles false started before third downs, pushing the Eagles back further. Two penalties wiped out Eagles first down conversions. One ticky-tack holding penalty on Reed Blankenship negated Jalen Carter's second sack of Brock Purdy.
Reed Blankenship controversial holding call.
This was off a sack, the other Eagles players can’t believe it.
Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/1tTauDe5AN
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) January 12, 2026
All season, the Eagles shot themselves in the proverbial foot with costly penalties, and they never really cleaned up those issues. The undisciplined chickens finally came to roost.
I don't really think this take is all that controversial anymore. First the cameras caught Brown getting into a sideline tiff with Nick Sirianni:
Here’s a longer look at Nick Sirianni’s sideline exchange with A.J. Brown, via @NFLonFOX: pic.twitter.com/9yTwPk0Wap
Sirianni later told FOX sideline reporter Erin Andrews that emotions run high, especially in the playoffs, and that "this is the way it is. We're just fine."
...yeah, sure, that totally looks like the epitome of a healthy, "just fine" relationship between a wide receiver and his head coach.
All season long, Brown has been upset about his usage in Kevin Patullo's offensive scheme (much more on that later, trust me). But the thing is, when he is targeted, he doesn't make the most of it. If it's not a perfectly placed ball, Brown won't adjust to pull it in. His body language screams that he's given up.
That lack of effort was crystal clear on the Eagles' last drive. Hurts hit Brown with a perfectly placed pass on a pivotal third and 5, and Brown proceeded to do this:
A critical drop from AJ Brown on third down... pic.twitter.com/3YAwkprWO2
That guy makes $32 million a year to catch footballs, by the way.
Admittedly, Brown's usage this season was absolutely criminal. On Sunday, Brown didn't catch a single pass after the first quarter. That makes no sense for one of the NFL's top receivers. But Brown can't complain about a lack of opportunities and then squander the opportunities when they're dropped right into his lap.
Brown declined to speak with reporters in the locker room after the game. Something is broken between him, Sirianni and Patullo. I don't know what the fix is, but either way, one of Brown or Patullo will not be in Philadelphia next season. I'd prefer if Brown stayed over Patullo, because...
Even with the Eagles offense's season-long woes, fans still had hope for the playoffs, because this is most of the same offensive personnel that hung 40 points on the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. They are battle-tested playoff veterans.
But as Maya Angelou said, when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. And Kevin Patullo showed everyone exactly what this offense was 17 times.
The Eagles offense did not play a complete game against a formidable opponent all season, and that trend continued against the 49ers. Although Dallas Goedert scored two touchdowns in the first half, the offense went stale after halftime.
This just simply doesn’t happen… It can’t happen… Almost impossible to make it happen…
Kevin Patullo should be charged for the crimes he committed against this years Philadelphia Eagles team pic.twitter.com/j7YpDyCwY3
In five second-half drives, Patullo's scheme netted the Eagles six points (on two field goals) and yielded three three-and-outs. I lost count of how many times a series began with Saquon up the middle. As it did all season, the second-half offense completely lacked creativity. After a good first half, Patullo – once again – failed to account for the other team making halftime adjustments.
Patullo has no excuse for being outplayed by a 49ers defense that started its fifth, sixth and seventh linebackers of the season on Sunday. He has no excuse for taking one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history and turning them into a three-and-out machine, all while playing a part in alienating one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Vic Fangio carried Patullo all season. When Fangio's defense finally stumbled and failed to compensate for the uber-predictable offense, Patullo had no answers. The offense is the reason the Eagles are not making another long playoff run. I know it, you know it, and I'd bet money Jeffrey Lurie knows it, too.
Nothing. You have to wonder if sitting the starters in Week 18 was the right move; the NFC's No. 2 seed was right there for the taking. The Eagles will have all the time in the world to ponder that decision as they watch the playoffs unfold from the couch.
