Ex-Viking’s game-sealing play ended the Eagles’ Super Bowl dream

With the game on the line in a first-round playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks came up with a massive play to help the San Francisco 49ers walk off the field with a win.

Facing a 4th-and-11 from the 49ers' 21-yard line with 43 seconds left in the game, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts fired a pass over the middle of the field with the hopes that tight end Dallas Goedert would be able to haul it in. But before Goedert could make the catch, Kendricks did his best Superman impression and batted the ball out of the air to force an incompletion and seal the victory for San Francisco.

Former Minnesota Vikings LB Eric Kendricks seals a San Francisco 49ers playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles

The type of play that Kendricks made on Sunday was one that Vikings fans became so accustomed to seeing from him during his time in Minnesota. He was always one of the best linebackers in pass coverage when he was with the Vikings, and that trait of his helped propel the 49ers to a huge postseason win over Philadelphia.

What makes the play even more impressive is that Kendricks has only been a member of San Francisco's roster for about a month and a half. He signed with the 49ers' practice squad on November 26th, and Sunday's contest against the Eagles was his fourth appearance with San Francisco this season.

Due to injuries to other players, Kendricks even got the start against Philadelphia. He wound up finishing with 10 tackles, including two for a loss, and one very important pass deflection.

In the 2017 NFC Championship, Kendricks was part of a Vikings team that walked off the field in Philadelphia with a bitter taste in their mouths after a disappointing loss shattered their dreams of playing in a Super Bowl that was being held inside Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium.

On Sunday, on the same field, Kendricks was part of the team that did the dream-shattering.