The Lions and their long-suffering fans must continue waiting for the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance after a cruel twist of fate.
After the Lions dominated the first half and took a 17-point lead into halftime, the 49ers turned Sunday’s NFC Championship game on its head in the second half, staging an epic comeback to win 34-31 and advance to Super Bowl 2024.
The 49ers will face the Chiefs on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas, a rematch from four years ago in Super Bowl LIV, which Kansas City won 31-20.
San Francisco scored 27 straight points in the second half to go up by 10 before Jared Goff’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams with 56 seconds left, but that’s as close as the Lions got as they failed on the ensuing onside kick attempt.
Christian McCaffrey scores during the 49ers’ win over the Lions in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 28, 2024. USA TODAY Sports The Lions stunned the home crowd in Santa Clara by going up 24-7 in the first half, running the ball with ease.
But the game completely turned in the third quarter, when San Francisco scored 17 points.
After an early third-quarter field goal brought the 49ers to within two touchdowns, a miraculous 51-yard catch by Brandon Aiyuk, a pass that deflected upward off of Lions corner Kindle Vildor’s facemask, gave San Francisco life.
Dam Campbell reacts during the Lions’ loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 28, 2024. Getty Images Aiyuk scored a touchdown three plays later to cut the deficit to seven.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs then fumbled on the Lions’ next offensive play, and the 49ers quickly capitalized with a Christian McCaffrey touchdown to tie the game.
A 33-yard Jake Moody field goal put the 49ers ahead early in the fourth, and Elijah Mitchell’s 3-yard touchdown with 3:02 left put them up by 10.
