49ers’ Kyle Shanahan says Philip Rivers was ‘prepared’ to play in Super Bowl if needed following QB injuries

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was ready to call on former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers if the Niners had advanced to the Super Bowl this past season after seeing four healthy quarterbacks get injured through the NFC title game. 

Shanahan told reporters on Thursday that he had previously had discussion with Rivers, who last played in the league in 2020, about his contingency plan early on in the season – likely after Trey Lance suffered a season-ending injury the second game of the season. 

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks with his quarterbacks Trey Lance, #5, and Brock Purdy, #13, during workouts in training camp at SAP Performance Facility on Aug. 4, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

"He was prepared to," Shanhan said of Rivers being called out of retirement.

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"Now that’s stuff we talked about throughout the whole year. We would’ve had to seen how that was for the Super Bowl, but that was the plan most of the year."

The 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship game despite a myriad of injuries at the quarterback position. Jimmy Garoppolo returned as starter, despite a rocky offseason, following Lance’s injury, but he was then sidelined for the season after sustaining a foot injury that would eventually require surgery.

Third-string quarterback and the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy was then called on. With Purdy under center, the 49ers advanced to the NFC title game but, as luck would have, Purdy tore his UCL early on in the game. 

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