Crazy fact about NFC Championship Game sparks attention online

Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s NFC Championship Game will be a full-circle moment for Brock Purdy either way.

Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers advanced to the conference title round on Saturday with a come-from-behind 24-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The 49ers will now face the winner of Sunday’s Detroit Lions-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

A wild fact went viral on social media in the wake of San Francisco’s win. Their victory means that the NFC title game will pit a former No. 1 overall pick (either Jared Goff or Baker Mayfield) against a former Mr. Irrelevant (Purdy).

The NFC championship will feature a #1 Overall Pick vs. Mr. Irrelevant quarterback matchup.

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 21, 2024

The Lions quarterback Goff was the top overall pick in 2016 while the Bucs quarterback Mayfield followed suit in 2018. Meanwhile, Purdy (as has been well-documented) was the very last pick in the 2022 draft (No. 262 overall).

As such, 261 draft places will separate the QB matchup in next weekend’s NFC title game. The contest is set to be hosted by the top-seeded 49ers though, which is one of many reasons to believe that the former Mr. Irrelevant may hold the advantage.