The Detroit Lions held a 24-7 lead at halftime of the NFC Championship Game, but ultimately failed to secure the win. The San Francisco 49ers scored 17 points in an eight-minute span of the third quarter to tie the game, then pulled away in the fourth to defeat the Lions 34–31 and reach the Super Bowl. Brock Purdy’s 51-yard pass, which ended up off a defender’s facemask and into Aiyuk’s hands, was a key moment in helping the Niners rally.
Reflecting on the game, Lions quarterback Jared Goff admitted, “It’s hard to balance the two emotions of being proud of what we did this year and dealing with the sadness of the loss.” The Lions’ emotional head coach Dan Campbell added: “You feel like your heart is being ripped out.”