Faithful Flashbacks #77: The 2023 NFC Championship Comeback

Moment No. 77 featured the 49ers’ epic comeback against the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFC Championship game. For most of the night, it looked like their season was going to have a tragic ending.

One game away from the Super Bowl, they trailed 24-7 at halftime against an explosive offensive featured Amon-Ra St. Brown and quarterback Jared Goff.

Actually, having been at the game, all of Levi’s Stadium felt tense as the Lions controlled the first half and the 49ers faced the possibility of another painful postseason exit.

But the second half turned out to be an entirely different story, quickly rejuvenating the crowd.

San Francisco responded with 17 unanswered points to tie the game and turn what had been a one-sided matchup into one of the more memorable comebacks in the franchise’s long playoff history. Quarterback Brock Purdy had seemingly already proven himself to the fanbase at that point, but that run may have solidified it.

After tying it at 24-24, kicker Jake Moody made it 27-24. The defense was truly impressive after a lackluster first half, managing yet another stop before running back Elijah Mitchell essentially sealed it with a short touchdown run to extend their advantage to 34-24.

One final score from Detroit left the final tally at 34-31, but the electric comeback was complete.

Their 17-point rally tied the largest comeback in NFC Championship Game history and sent them to a Super Bowl matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, which they eventually lost.

The 49ers looked overwhelmed early, but flipped matters in their favor following the midway break.

For the Lions, it was a heartbreaking end to one of the best seasons in their franchise’s history. For the 49ers, well, it made this list for good reason.

As part of our “Faithful Flashbacks” countdown, this one belongs because of the stakes and emotional rollercoaster, even if it didn’t ultimately lead to the sixth Super Bowl they’ve been chasing.