Kyle Juszczyk fined after Wild Card win as brutal Divisional Round loss brings the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes to an abrupt end

The San Francisco 49ers’ playoff run didn’t just end with a loss. It unraveled in a way that left the team answering questions long after the final whistle. What started as a hard-fought Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles quickly gave way to discipline issues, a blowout defeat and difficult decisions under the brightest spotlight.
Just days after the 49ers advanced, the NFL handed down fines that highlighted how thin the line can be between physical football and costly mistakes. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was fined twice for unnecessary roughness, with both penalties tied to lowering his helmet during the Wild Card game.

How fines and a blowout loss ended the 49ers’ season

The first fine came in the second quarter when Juszczyk led on a short run by Christian McCaffrey and made helmet-to-helmet contact with Eagles defender Jaelan Phillips. That infraction cost him $10,144. The second fine, also $10,144, was assessed in the third quarter after a downfield block where he lowered his helmet into safety Reed Blankenship. While the penalties didn’t change the Wild Card result, they added up financially. Each 49ers player earned $53,500 for the Wild Card round and was guaranteed $58,500 for the divisional game. Juszczyk’s physical presence helped the team survive Philadelphia, but it came at a price.
Things only worsened in the NFC Divisional Round. The 49ers were overwhelmed by the Seattle Seahawks, falling 41-6 in a game that got out of hand early. With the outcome no longer in doubt, Brock Purdy was pulled in the fourth quarter. The move was about protection, not performance, as keeping him on the field during a blowout carried unnecessary injury risk.
Backup quarterback Mac Jones finished the game. Before being pulled, Purdy completed 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards with one interception. He also rushed five times for 37 yards, making him the team’s leading rusher on a difficult night. Interestingly, the loss aligned with a prediction made earlier in the week by analyst Rich Eisen. “I’m going to go for everybody but the San Francisco 49ers. I’m sorry. Yeah… I’m sorry. That’s what I’ll say,” Eisen said on The Rich Eisen Show.
It marked the fifth time Purdy and the 49ers faced a Mike Macdonald-led defense, and once again, they struggled to find answers. A season that briefly carried Super Bowl hopes ended abruptly, leaving San Francisco with fines, frustration, and a long offseason to sort through what went wrong.

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