Brandon Aiyuk perfectly sums up 49ers' emotions after clinching one seed
The San Francisco 49ers likely won't be going too heavy on the New Year's celebrations, but they got an early start in the tunnel at FedEx Field on Sunday as they clinched the NFC's one seed. Following their 27-10 win over the Washington Commanders, several members of the Niners, including Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and […]
The San Francisco 49ers likely won't be going too heavy on the New Year's celebrations, but they got an early start in the tunnel at FedEx Field on Sunday as they clinched the NFC's one seed.
Following their 27-10 win over the Washington Commanders, several members of the Niners, including Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, huddled round San Francisco Chronicle beat writer Mike Silver's phone, on which he was showing the end of the Philadelphia Eagles' game with the Arizona Cardinals.
Samuel was a particularly excited spectator as James Conner plunged in from the two-yard line to give the Cardinals a 35-31 lead.
The Cardinals clung on to that advantage, denying a Hail Mary from the Eagles, their victory clinching the one seed for the 49ers. San Francisco will have a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
Speaking on watching that conclusion, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy said: "To be able to have that kind of moment, growing up sort of watching TV clips and stuff of like teams together watching and celebrating another team win for their case, so for us to be able to do that, I was just like taking it in. I was like 'man it's something I've seen on TV growing up and now we get to all cram in to a corner of the locker room and watch on a little TV."
The 49ers knew a win over the Commanders and an Eagles loss would give them the top seed following the Dallas Cowboys' controversial win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan added: "It was awesome. Really tried to not pay attention to it [the Eagles game], didn't want to get our hearts broke, but we did right there at the end and they pulled it out, it was pretty cool to see.
It was Aiyuk, however, who perhaps summed it up best.
The wide receiver said: "The moments like that, where we go handle our business out there and get an opportunity to watch the rest of the league and have it play out in our favor with another team getting a win, a moment I'll for sure remember forever."
The 49ers' Christmas Day was one to forget with their loss to the Baltimore Ravens but, as Aiyuk articulated, New Year's Eve 2023 is one that will likely live long in the memory for the 49ers, especially if they are lifting the trophy in Las Vegas in February.
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