The NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles' fan base have been critical of head coach Nick Sirianni for resting the starters in their Week 18 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders. Still, after the update on their NFC Wild Card opponents and the San Francisco 49ers' injury problems, the tone might change a bit.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave an update on some key players who were injured in their season finale loss to the Seattle Seahawks, or who have been injured. The big story is that linebacker Tatum Bethune has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a groin injury.
That's not the only injury they are dealing with as linebackers Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quad), defensive lineman Keion White (hamstring), safety Ji'Ayir Brown (rib), and defensive lineman Kalia Davis (knee tendinitis) are all being monitored this week with injuries. Some of their top players in offensive tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle), who missed their Week 18 game, are also being checked out throughout the week.
Eagles fans might be feeling pretty good about their team now
Keep in mind, too, this doesn't include the injuries to star 49ers players like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, who are both on IR. This is just a taste of what it has been like for San Francisco this season with injuries.
Eagles fans might understand now why Sirianni did what he did. Philly has only rookie safety Andrew Mukuba as the Week 1 starter, who is on IR with an ankle injury.
Sirianni has preached his belief that resting players in Week 18 will only benefit his team in the playoffs. Eagles fans saw it last year, as they went on to win the Super Bowl because of it. In fact, NFL reporter James Palmer shared that four starting quarterbacks in the league last year rested in Week 18, and all four went on to win their first playoff games.
If you're debating if your starting QB should have played in Week 18 or rested.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 5, 2026
Last season 4 QBs rested in Week 18 and all 4 won their first playoff game. You obviously can still debate it. And you will. And that's cool.
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Yes, it's frustrating not to get the number two seed, as that might have been the easier path to the Super Bowl, but Sirianni was doing it for a specific reason. That reason might be why the Eagles make another run in the playoffs, and the 49ers might watch the rest of the postseason from their couches if they are not careful in the Wild Card.