The San Francisco 49ers found themselves trailing 24-7 against the Detroit Lions at halftime in the NFC Championship Game. That's when you want the team's veteran leaders to step up and take charge of the situation.
"Yeah, I was on the ground with a heat pack on my back, just screaming random things, trying to get people [fired up]," defensive end Nick Bosa said after the game. "... Not that random, but I was just like, 'There's so much football left.' We made a couple of adjustments. I said, 'Just take that first read away, and we're getting home.' And our guys did it."
Even down by 17 points, this veteran locker room exuded confidence. While the Lions might have already been thinking about their travel plans for Las Vegas, the 49ers maintained belief in their ability to turn the game around.
Regarding the halftime message to the team, quarterback Brock Purdy stated, "No one was rah-rah. No one was freaking out. It's football. There's a lot of experienced guys on this team, veterans that have been in crazy situations. Everyone was, all right, we've just got to do our job straight up. Offense has to move the ball. We've got to put up points, convert on third downs. Defense, get some stops for us. That was really about it."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized that the 49ers had no choice but to stay focused and not wallow in self-pity. The game was far from over, and San Francisco had a history of overcoming adversity.
"We were only down 17, which that's not too much," Shanahan explained. "But you got to start playing a lot better in order for that not to be too much. Came out in the third quarter, we finished with a field goal. I definitely thought that wasn't enough, but then I think our D stopped them on a fourth down the next time. Then we got a touchdown.
"The next drive I want to say was the turnover. Just like that, it was three drives. I think by the end of the third, it was a tied game. All right, first quarter again, but it's the fourth, let's start."
Further discussing the mentality while facing a deficit, Purdy commented, "We kept it simple, went out, we all knew what we had to do. Season is on the line, down 17. I think everybody stepped up. We played good, complementary team football from there."
With about 18 minutes left, the 49ers had tied the game, turning it into a new contest. The team added 10 more points, finishing with a 34-31 victory.
Tight end George Kittle added, "We have a vet group. We have a very good foundation of players that Kyle and [GM] John [Lynch] brought in here since the start. You have a lot of high-character guys, and you know this team doesn't really give up."
Now, the 49ers are set to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, where they will face the Kansas City Chiefs.