Greatest Wildcard Games In Memory Had A Team Conceding The Winning TD, Broken Tables, And A Bottle Of Tequila

We just witnessed one of the most entertaining and interesting weekends of Wildcard NFL playoff football and that cannot be argued unless you recall another slate of games that included a bottle of tequila being delivered to an injured player in a locker room – while the game was still going on.

George Kittle Gets Bottle Service

That bottle of Patron was delivered to the San Francisco 49ers locker room Sunday, according to multiple media accounts, when George Kittle left the game with a ruptured Achilles tendon. 

As the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles were still settling their issues on the field, Niners CEO Jed York entered the San Francisco locker room as Kittle was being attended to, and York apparently asked the tight end if there was anything he needed. 

A while later, a 49ers employee was seen carrying the tequila into the locker room. It didn't help Kittle come back in the game because he's likely out until next season, but it was worth a shot.

But that isn't all that made the weekend different, fun, intriguing, awesome.

Fans chanted "Lets go Buffalo!’ as Bills Mafia member Seth McDonald, 14, leaps to a folding table as fans watch before an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Comebacks From Rams, Bears, Bills, 49ers

Three of the five visiting teams traveled to a victory. Four of the five games were decided by one score. And there was drama because the games included... 

…A Matt Stafford late comeback victory in which he snatched the hearts from the Carolina Panthers. 

….A Caleb Williams late comeback victory that might send Packers coach Matt LaFleur toward another team.

…A Josh Allen late comeback victory that culminated four lead changes and followed Bills Mafia traveling to Jacksonville, where Jaguars fans joined Bills fans in their trademark diving on tables pregame tradition.

That game also included the Jaguars letting the Bills score the winning TD. Coach Liam Coen said he decided to "freeway it" in hopes of getting the ball back and giving his offense an opportunity to score its own winning TD. It didn't work.

…Brock Purdy also authored a late comeback victory in Philadelphia that ended the Eagles run as Super Bowl champions.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni looks on during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

49ers Win Despite Injuries

So, a lot of teams scripting drama, which is entertaining. But also a lot of teams choking in big moments, which can be interesting.

We had the good and bad in Philadelphia. Eagles coach Nick Sirriani and receiver A.J. Brown got into it on the sideline and that played out on national TV. 

Ultimately, the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles succumbed to a team that embodies the next-man-up credo. 

The 49ers are in the Divisional Round despite not having Nick Bosa and Fred Warner most of the season, despite not having Purdy for eight games, despite Brandon Aiyuk doing crazy stuff away from the team but not stepping on a field all season, despite left tackle Trent Williams playing on Sunday with a sore hamstring, and losing Kittle in this game.

The 49ers are resilient. They will travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks in the next round. The Chicago Bears will host the Los Angeles Rams.

Eagles Title Defense Ends

The Eagles, meanwhile, will not be making a return visit to the White House. Sirriani suffered his first playoff loss and the crashout on Philly sports talk radio Monday will be epic.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, the head coach's close friend, could be fired before the week is out because ownership will likely demand it and Sunday's game, with the 49ers scoring on a wide receiver touchdown pass from Jauan Jennings to Christian McCaffrey while the Eagles seemed stale, was an illustration that change is appropriate.

We saw 12 fourth-quarter lead changes this weekend – already a league record for any postseason. Every game through Sunday afternoon's games was won by the team trailing at the three-minute mark.

All the games until the Patriots victory Sunday night were one-possession affairs, with four decided by four points or fewer.

And there's still another game Monday night between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans that matches wiley Aaron Rodgers against the NFL's second-best scoring defense.

Outstanding.