49ers activate Dre Greenlaw, announce other roster moves before Rams game →

49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk reacts to his catch not being SportsCenter’s top moment from Championship Sunday

Jan 29, 2024 at 12:50 PM


placeholder image

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

If the San Francisco 49ers go on to win Super Bowl 58 against the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's momentum-shifting catch in the third quarter of the NFC Championship Game could go down as one of the great plays in the storied franchise's history.

With the 49ers trailing by 14 points in the third quarter, quarterback Brock Purdy threw a deep pass in Aiyuk's direction. It looked like cornerback Kindle Vildor might secure an interception. Instead, the football bounced off the defender's hands, and Aiyuk made the heads-up play to ensure it landed in his hands for a remarkable and improbable 51-yard catch.

RELATED Brandon Aiyuk sparks comeback with game-changing catch

Three plays later, Aiyuk hauled in another Purdy-thrown pass, this time in the end zone, cutting the 49ers' deficit to seven points.

San Francisco eventually came away with a 34-31 victory but without Aiyuk's clutch reaction to that ricocheting football, who knows what might have happened. That's why the receiver was dismayed on Monday morning while watching SportsCenter's Top Ten, which looked at the most remarkable moments from Championship Sunday.

Aiyuk's catch came in at No. 2.

"Number two? Who the hell they have at one then?" A confused Aiyuk said in a video posted to Instagram showing the receiver's live reaction to the countdown.

The top play ended up being Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson catching his own deflected pass in an AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs. What did Aiyuk think of the top pick?

"Man, get the f--" is all he says before the video ends.

There is no doubt that Jackson's pass and reception on the same play are impressive. However, Aiyuk's catch was equally remarkable and shifted momentum in the 49ers' favor, helping the team overcome a one-time 17-point deficit.

The Ravens will watch from home as the 49ers face the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas.

Enjoy this article? Follow us to never miss more!

Powered by Follow.it


Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News

placeholder image

Kyle Shanahan reveals how the 49ers can beat the Bears on Sunday

By Marc Adams
Dec 7

The San Francisco 49ers have lost three games in a row. And they've been sloppy doing so, losing the last two by 28 and 25 points. The team that played in the Super Bowl earlier this year looks nothing like the team that is playing right now. Sure, they are missing several...


placeholder image

49ers announce roster moves ahead of Sunday's matchup with Bears, place two more players on IR

By Marc Adams
Dec 7

On Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers announced the following roster moves ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears: Placed RB Jordan Mason on IR (injured reserve) Activated S Talanoa Hufanga from IR Placed S George Odum on IR Promoted OL Sebastian Gutierrez from the...


placeholder image

Recap: 49ers display top form in dominant 38-13 victory over Bears

By Kirk Larrabee
Dec 8

The San Francisco 49ers still face long odds to make the postseason this year after three months of injuries and inconsistent play, but for at least one half of football against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, they looked more than any other point this season...


placeholder image

Report: Nick Bosa likely to make his 49ers return against the Rams

By David Bonilla
3 hrs

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, listed as questionable for Thursday night's primetime matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, is likely to play, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. However, the team will assess his readiness during pre-game warmups to ensure he can...


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone