Rich Eisen says Philip Rivers contacted 49ers about QB role after injuries
Mar 7, 2023, 9:00 AM
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 12: Philip Rivers #17 of the Indianapolis Colts watches action during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
When the San Francisco 49ers lost their second quarterback to an injury in Week 13, Brock Purdy stepped up and shocked the football world by finishing the season without a loss.
Sadly, his Cinderella story came to an end in the NFC Championship game when he also went down with an injury.
On Monday, NFL Network’s Rich Eisen broke down some rumors he heard during the combine, which included an interesting nugget about a retired quarterback trying to get a job with the San Francisco 49ers.
“We all know two teams that were quarterback-needy at the end of the season — starting third-stringers — and had a chance to go to the playoffs, and maybe make a deep run in the playoffs. I’m referring to the Miami Dolphins and, of course, the San Francisco 49ers. I heard at the combine that Philip Rivers contacted both of them to come back late last year. Philip Rivers contacted both of them, is what I heard, and that’s the way I heard it, to see if they would come and it didn’t happen. Don’t know why it didn’t happen. But I heard that at the combine, that Philip, once his season was over, was kind of like, ‘So the 49ers are going with Mr. Irrelevant?’”
Rivers retired in 2021, following one year with the Indianapolis Colts and 16 years with the Chargers. It’s unclear how far along those conversations progressed, but the 49ers felt they were in a good spot with Purdy and veteran journeyman Josh Johnson.
Rich is back from Indianapolis and boy did he hear some things — his Top 5 Rumors Heard at #NFLCombine:
5. Philip Rivers
4. #DaBears
3. Lamar
2. 🧀
1. 🐐#NFL #NFLFreeAgency #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/F08mMCAcGq— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 6, 2023
Additional rumors Eisen listed include the Chicago Bears are well into trade discussions with the first-overall pick in the 2023 draft, the Lamar Jackson situation in Baltimore isn’t pretty and more.
