NFC Championship Game
The first NFC Championship Game took place on the 3rd of January 1971 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. Dallas Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 17 to 10. This match marked the beginning of a new era following the merger between the National Football League and the American Football League. The league realigned into two conferences to create an equal number of teams for each group. Sixteen teams from the original NFL joined ten former AFL teams to form the AFC while thirteen pre-merger clubs formed the NFC. Every team that has ever existed in the NFC has played in this championship game at least once.
Site selection changed dramatically after the 1975, 76 season when playoff seeding replaced rotating locations. The highest surviving seed now hosts the game based on regular season win-loss records. Wild card teams can only host if both participants are wild cards but no such instance has occurred yet. The number of division champions qualifying for the postseason shifted from three to four starting in the 2002, 03 season. Wild card slots also expanded over time with one slot existing from 1970 through 1978 before growing to three by 2020. These structural changes ensured the most successful teams earned home-field advantage throughout the decades.
The George Halas Trophy first appeared during the 1984, 85 playoffs honoring the longtime owner and coach of the Chicago Bears. Its original design featured a wooden base topped with a sculpted NFC logo and relief sculptures of football players on the back. A similar trophy named the Lamar Hunt Trophy was awarded to the AFC Champion using matching artistic elements. Tiffany & Co redesigned both conference trophies for the 2010, 11 playoffs at the NFL's request. The new silver versions feature a hollow football outline positioned on a small base to resemble the Vince Lombardi Trophy given to Super Bowl winners. Conference championship rings are now awarded to winning team members even without a subsequent Super Bowl victory.
San Francisco 49ers hold the record for most losses with eleven defeats across nineteen total appearances. They have hosted the game eleven times more than any other franchise in history. Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers share the title for most victories with eight wins each. Only the Detroit Lions have never won or hosted an NFC Championship Game since its inception. Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings remain the only two teams to appear in at least one game every decade since 1970. Seattle Seahawks hold unique distinction by appearing in both conference title games after switching from the AFC to the NFC in 2002.
Dallas Cowboys versus San Francisco 49ers has produced six meetings between 1970 and 1994 making it the most common matchup. The series includes four consecutive appearances by the Cowboys from 1970 through 1973 followed by three straight titles from 1992 to 1995. Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys met twice in 1972 and 1982 with Washington winning both contests. Los Angeles Rams faced Minnesota Vikings twice during the mid-1970s with the Vikings securing both victories. Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers clashed twice in 1984 and 1988 with the 49ers taking both matches.
The highest attendance figure reached 88,919 spectators for a game between Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams on the 4th of January 1976 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A single game on the 26th of January 2025 saw Philadelphia Eagles score 55 points against Washington Commanders for the largest margin of victory ever recorded. The New York Giants achieved two defensive shutouts in 1986 and 2000 while the Los Angeles Rams were shut out twice in 1978 and 1985. Overtime games have occurred six times since 1998 including a 71-minute contest between Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings in 1999. The smallest combined point total was just nine points scored by the Los Angeles Rams against Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1980.
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Common questions
When did the first NFC Championship Game take place?
The first NFC Championship Game took place on the 3rd of January 1971 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. Dallas Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 17 to 10.
Who won the most NFC Championship Games in history?
Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers share the title for most victories with eight wins each. The San Francisco 49ers hold the record for most losses with eleven defeats across nineteen total appearances.
What trophy is awarded to the winner of the NFC Championship Game?
The George Halas Trophy first appeared during the 1984, 85 playoffs honoring the longtime owner and coach of the Chicago Bears. Tiffany & Co redesigned both conference trophies for the 2010, 11 playoffs to feature a hollow football outline positioned on a small base.
Which team has never won or hosted an NFC Championship Game since its inception?
Only the Detroit Lions have never won or hosted an NFC Championship Game since its inception. All other teams that have ever existed in the NFC have played in this championship game at least once.
When was the highest attendance figure recorded for an NFC Championship Game?
The highest attendance figure reached 88,919 spectators for a game between Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams on the 4th of January 1976 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This event remains the largest crowd to watch the match.