By Lydia Jane Allison
NEW YORK –– Jan. 24, 2024 –– Below are among the top storylines in the AFC and NFC Conference Championships:
- Former MVPs, Top Defenses Meet in Baltimore
- Chiefs Seeking Historic Super Bowl Run
- Ravens, Jackson Rushing into Championship Game
- Lions Look for First Super Bowl Berth
- 49ers Seek Eighth Super Bowl Appearance
AFC Championship: Kansas City (13-6) at Baltimore (14-4) – 3 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+)
NFC Championship: Detroit (14-5) at San Francisco (13-5) – 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Deportes)
FORMER MVPS, TOP DEFENSES MEET IN BALTIMORE
Sunday’s AFC Championship in Baltimore between the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS and BALTIMORE RAVENS will feature former MVP quarterbacks PATRICK MAHOMES and LAMAR JACKSON. Mahomes earned the honor in 2018 and 2022, while Jackson won the award in 2019.
It will mark the fifth Conference Championship Game in NFL history featuring two former MVP quarterbacks and the first in which both quarterbacks are under the age of 30.
The Conference Championships to feature two former MVP quarterbacks in NFL history:
| GAME | TEAMS | ROAD QB | HOME QB | RESULT |
| 2023 AFC Championship | Kansas City at Baltimore | Patrick Mahomes | Lamar Jackson | ??? |
| 2020 NFC Championship | Tampa Bay at Green Bay | Tom Brady | Aaron Rodgers | TB 31, GB 26 |
| 2015 AFC Championship | New England at Denver | Tom Brady | Peyton ManningHOF | DEN 20, NE 18 |
| 2013 AFC Championship | New England at Denver | Tom Brady | Peyton ManningHOF | DEN 26, NE 16 |
| 1997 NFC Championship | Green Bay at San Francisco | Brett FavreHOF | Steve YoungHOF | GB 23, SF 10 |
Each quarterback will be facing one of the top defenses in the league this season. Baltimore led the NFL in scoring defense in the regular season, allowing 16.5 points per game, and in sacks, with 60. Kansas City ranked second in each category, allowing 17.3 points per game and totaling 57 sacks.
Sunday will mark the sixth Championship Game in NFL history featuring the top-two scoring defenses from the regular season and the first since the 2004 AFC Championship Game (New England at Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2005).
Sunday’s contest will also be the third Championship Game all-time to feature the two teams with the most regular-season sacks, joining the 2015 AFC Championship (New England at Denver on Jan. 24, 2016) and 2004 NFC Championship (Atlanta at Philadelphia on Jan. 23, 2005)
CHIEFS SEEKING HISTORIC SUPER BOWL RUN
The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS are appearing in their sixth-consecutive Championship Game, the second-longest streak in NFL history. With a victory on Sunday, the Chiefs will become the third team ever to advance to four Super Bowls in a five-year span, joining the BUFFALO BILLS (1990-93) and NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2014, 2016-18).
Head coach ANDY REID has led the Chiefs to each of their last three Super Bowls and also brought the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX following the 2004 season. With a win on Sunday, Reid will become the fourth head coach in NFL history to advance to five-or-more Super Bowls, joining BILL BELICHICK (nine Super Bowl appearances) and Pro Football Hall of Famers DON SHULA (six) and TOM LANDRY (five).
The head coaches to appear in the most Super Bowls in NFL history:
| HEAD COACH | TEAM(S) | SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES |
| Bill Belichick | New England | 9 |
| Don ShulaHOF | Baltimore Colts, Miami | 6 |
| Tom LandryHOF | Dallas | 5 |
| Andy Reid | Philadelphia, Kansas City | 4 |
Quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES has compiled a 13-3 record in his first 16 career postseason starts, totaling 38 touchdown passes and 4,561 passing yards with a 106.7 passer rating.
With a victory in Baltimore, Mahomes will tie Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRY BRADSHAW (14 postseason wins), JOHN ELWAY (14) and PEYTON MANNING (14) for the third-most postseason wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Only TOM BRADY (35) and Pro Football Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA (16) have more.
The starting quarterbacks with the most playoff wins in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | PLAYOFF WINS | |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 35 | |
| Joe MontanaHOF | San Francisco, Kansas City | 16 | |
| Terry BradshawHOF | Pittsburgh | 14 | |
| John ElwayHOF | Denver | 14 | |
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 14 | |
| Brett FavreHOF | Green Bay, Minnesota | 13 | |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 13* | |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 13 | |
| *entering Sunday | |||
Three of Mahomes’ 13 postseason wins have come in the AFC Championship. With a win this week, Mahomes – who will be 28 years and 133 days old on Sunday – will become the youngest quarterback ever to win four Championship Games, surpassing TOM BRADY, who was 30 years and 170 days old when he won his fourth Championship Game.
With two touchdown passes on Sunday, Mahomes will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (40 touchdown passes) for the fifth-most postseason touchdown passes in NFL history. Only TOM BRADY (88 touchdown passes), AARON RODGERS (45) and Pro Football Hall of Famers JOE MONTANA (45) and BRETT FAVRE (44) have more.
The players with the most postseason touchdown passes in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | TOUCHDOWN PASSES | |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 88 | |
| Joe MontanaHOF | San Francisco, Kansas City | 45 | |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay | 45 | |
| Brett FavreHOF | Green Bay, Minnesota | 44 | |
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 40 | |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 38* | |
| *entering Sunday | |||
Since the beginning of last year’s postseason, Mahomes has totaled 10 touchdown passes with no interceptions in his past five playoff games. He can become the first quarterback in NFL history without an interception in six consecutive postseason games (minimum 20 attempts in each game).
Tight end TRAVIS KELCE enters Sunday with 145 receptions, 1,694 receiving yards and 18 touchdown receptions in his postseason career, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE all-time in each category. With seven receptions at Baltimore, Kelce will surpass Rice (151 receptions) for the most postseason receptions in NFL history.
The players with the most postseason receptions in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RECEPTIONS |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco, Oakland Raiders | 151 |
| Travis Kelce | Kansas City | 145* |
| Julian Edelman | New England | 118 |
| *entering Sunday |
Last week in the Divisional round, Kelce totaled five receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns, his 12th consecutive postseason game with at least five receptions. With five catches at Baltimore, he will tie JULIAN EDELMAN (13 consecutive games) for the longest streak of postseason games with at least five receptions in NFL history.
Last week also marked Kelce’s fourth career playoff game with multiple touchdown receptions. If he accomplishes the feat again on Sunday, he will join Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (five games) as the only players ever with multiple touchdown receptions in five postseason games.
The players with the most postseason games with multiple touchdown receptions in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco, Oakland Raiders | 5 |
| Rob Gronkowski | New England, Tampa Bay | 4 |
| Travis Kelce | Kansas City | 4* |
| *entering Sunday |
RAVENS, JACKSON RUSHING INTO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The BALTIMORE RAVENS are seeking their third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and first since winning Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.
In the regular season, Baltimore had the league’s top rushing attack, averaging 156.5 yards per game on the ground. With a victory against Kansas City on Sunday, the Ravens will become the fourth team since 1990 and first since SEATTLE in 2014 to lead the league in rushing and make the Super Bowl in the same season.
The teams to appear in the Super Bowl after leading the league in rushing in the regular season since 1990:
| SEASON | TEAM | SUPER BOWL | RUSHING YARDS PER GAME |
| 2014 | Seattle | XLIX | 172.6 |
| 1992 | Buffalo | XXVII | 152.3 |
| 1991 | Buffalo | XXVI | 148.8 |
In the Divisional playoffs, quarterback LAMAR JACKSON became the first player ever with two touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns, 100 rushing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in a game. He also has recorded at least 100 rushing yards in three of his five career postseason games.
On Sunday, Jackson can become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards in four of his first six career postseason contests, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRELL DAVIS (five games), JOHN RIGGINS (five) and EMMITT SMITH (four) as well as MARSHAWN LYNCH (four).
Jackson has 467 career postseason rushing yards and can become the fifth quarterback in NFL history with 500 career postseason rushing yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (594 rushing yards), JOSH ALLEN (563), RUSSELL WILSON (527) and COLIN KAEPERNICK (507).
The quarterbacks with the most postseason rushing yards in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | GAMES | RUSHING YARDS |
| Steve YoungHOF | San Francisco | 22 | 594 |
| Josh Allen | Buffalo | 10 | 563 |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 16 | 527 |
| Colin Kaepernick | San Francisco | 6 | 507 |
| Lamar Jackson | Baltimore | 5 | 467* |
| *entering Sunday |
LIONS LOOK FOR FIRST SUPER BOWL BERTH
The DETROIT LIONS are playing in their second Championship Game in franchise history (1991) and look to make to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Quarterback JARED GOFF is looking to become the fifth starting quarterback to advance to the Super Bowl with multiple franchises, joining TOM BRADY (New England and Tampa Bay), Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (Indianapolis and Denver), CRAIG MORTON (Dallas and Denver) and Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (St. Louis Rams and Arizona). Goff previously led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl LIII appearance following the 2018 season.
The starting quarterbacks to advance to the Super Bowl with two franchises:
| QUARTERBACK | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| Tom Brady | New England | Tampa Bay |
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis | Denver |
| Craig Morton | Dallas | Denver |
| Kurt WarnerHOF | St. Louis Rams | Arizona |
Rookie running back JAHMYR GIBBS recorded 68 scrimmage yards with a rushing touchdown on Super Wild Card Weekend and 114 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in the Divisional playoffs. On Sunday, he can become the fourth rookie in NFL history to record a rushing touchdown in three playoff games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY DORSETT (1977), JAMAL LEWIS (2000) and SONY MICHEL (2018).
Wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN, who recorded seven receptions on Super Wild Card Weekend and eight receptions in the Divisional playoffs, can become the third player in NFL history with at least seven receptions in each of his first three career playoff games, joining MICHAEL THOMAS and WES WELKER.
Rookie tight end SAM LAPORTA had nine receptions in the Divisional round, the most receptions by a rookie tight end in a playoff game in NFL history, and has the most receptions by a rookie tight end (12) in postseason history.
With six receptions in the NFC Championship Game, LaPorta can surpass AUSTIN COLLIE (17 in 2009) for the fourth-most postseason receptions by a rookie in NFL history.
The rookies with the most postseason receptions in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | RECEPTIONS |
| Ja’Marr Chase | Cincinnati | 2021 | 25 |
| Joseph Addai | Indianapolis | 2006 | 22 |
| Torry Holt | St. Louis Rams | 1999 | 20 |
| Austin Collie | Indianapolis | 2009 | 17 |
| Sam LaPorta | Detroit | 2023 | 12* |
| *entering Sunday | |||
Including the postseason, LaPorta has totaled 98 receptions for 968 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. On Sunday, he can join JA’MARR CHASE (2021) as the only rookies all-time with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions, including the postseason.
Defensive end AIDAN HUTCHINSON recorded one sack in the Divisional playoffs and two sacks on Super Wild Card Weekend, his first two career playoff games. With two sacks against San Francisco, he would become the third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least five sacks in his first three career playoff games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer RICHARD DENT (6.5 sacks) and LAMARR WOODLEY (six).
49ERS SEEK 8TH SUPER BOWL APPEARANCE
The SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS have appeared in four of the past five NFC Championship Games (2019, 2021-23) and, including Sunday, have 19 Championship Game appearances, the most among all NFL clubs.
The 49ers are seeking to become the fifth franchise with eight Super Bowl appearances, joining NEW ENGLAND (11 Super Bowls), DALLAS (eight), DENVER (eight) and PITTSBURGH (eight).
Quarterback BROCK PURDY, who started and won in the Divisional playoffs last week and recorded two wins as a rookie starting quarterback during the 2022 postseason, can become the fourth starting quarterback to win four playoff games in his first two career seasons in NFL history, joining BEN ROETHLISBERGER (five wins), MARK SANCHEZ (four) and RUSSELL WILSON (four).
The starting quarterbacks with the most playoff wins in their first two seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PLAYOFF WINS |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 5 |
| Mark Sanchez | N.Y. Jets | 4 |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 4 |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco | 3* |
| *entering Sunday | ||
Running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY totaled 128 scrimmage yards (98 rushing, 30 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns in the Divisional playoffs and has recorded at least 50 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of his first five career playoff games.
On Sunday against Detroit, McCaffrey can become the third player in NFL history with at least 50 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of his first six career playoff games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARCUS ALLEN (first seven playoff games) and TERRELL DAVIS (seven).
The players with at least 50 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in the most consecutive games to begin a postseason career in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Marcus AllenHOF | L.A. Raiders | 7 (Jan. 8, 1983 – Jan. 5, 1986) |
| Terrell DavisHOF | Denver | 7 (Jan. 4, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999) |
| Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | 5 (Jan. 3, 2009 – Jan. 10, 2010) |
| Curtis MartinHOF | New England, N.Y. Jets | 5 (Jan. 5, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999) |
| Christian McCaffrey | Carolina, San Francisco | 5* (Jan. 7, 2018 – Jan. 20, 2024) |
| Randy MossHOF | Minnesota | 5 (Jan. 10, 1999 – Jan. 6, 2001) |
| *active streak | ||
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