It didn’t take long for tensions to flare at the NFC Championship Game.
Eagles receiver A.J. Brown and 49ers defensive end Jimmie Ward got into it before kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, with some brief shoving taking place during pregame.
The referees quickly got involved to break things up, separating the two players before the situation got out of hand.
Brown and Ward have been matched-up against one another at various points in the game.
Once the game started, the referees quickly became a focus. Devonta Smith’s fourth-down catch, which led to the Eagles’ opening touchdown, was not reviewed.
Replays showed that the ball came out as Smith went to the ground and the catch should have been ruled incomplete.
49ers safety Jimmie Ward (1) got into a kerfuffle with Eagles receiver AJ Brown prior to the NFC Championship game on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023. Getty ImagesLater on, after an Eagles punt appeared to hit the SkyCam wire, the referees couldn’t confirm that it did, giving the 49ers good field position as a result.
In this instance, though, they handled things swiftly and easily.
