Why 49ers had Philip Rivers over Ben Roethlisberger in mind for Super Bowl LVII

There's more information about why San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had Philip Rivers and not Ben Roethlisberger in mind as an emergency quarterback for Super Bowl LVII this past February. 

49ers insider Tim Kawakami of The Athletic revealed in a piece published Wednesday that "the 49ers had conversations with Rivers during last season, probably starting" with when Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a broken left foot in early December. 

"They believed Rivers was ready to go, and they believed he would be as prepared as possible to jump into action during the playoffs, if they needed him," Kawakami continued. 

Shanahan indicated to Kawakami in July that the club would've reached out to "Philip Rivers, someone like that" had the 49ers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game after Brock Purdy suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during that contest. Per ESPN's Nick Wagoner, Shanahan confirmed last week that Rivers "was prepared to" come out of retirement to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII had the 49ers advanced. 

Philadelphia ultimately crushed San Francisco 31-7 to keep Rivers sidelined, presumably for good. 

Back in March, Roethlisberger said he "was in conversations to join the San Francisco 49ers" at some point during the 2022 season. Kawakami suggested such talks weren't all that serious.

"I’ve heard that it always was Rivers at the top of the emergency list and that Roethlisberger was not on it," Kawakami continued. "Which makes sense, because if you know Shanahan you know that he would’ve wanted a QB he could trust to be prepared, mentally and physically, for a huge playoff run. Rivers probably will be that guy until he’s 50. I think Roethlisberger stopped being that guy two or three years before he actually retired."

The 49ers are on track to open the upcoming season with Purdy, 2022 Week 1 starter Trey Lance and free-agency signing Sam Darnold all on the roster. One wonders whom Shanahan will call if those three quarterbacks are sidelined this fall.