From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
NFC Championship Game
Semifinal championship football game in the NFL
Semifinal championship football game in the NFL
the game played annually since the 1970 season
Seattle, Washington January 25, 2026 Seattle Seahawks 31 Los Angeles Rams 27 |Broadcaster(s)=Fox (1995–present) CBS (1971–1994)}}
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. The game is played on the last Sunday in January by the two remaining playoff teams, following the NFC postseason's first two rounds. The NFC champion then advances to face the winner of the AFC Championship Game in the Super Bowl.
The game was established as part of the 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League (AFL), with the merged league realigning into two conferences. Since 1984, each winner of the NFC Championship Game has also received the George Halas Trophy, named after the co-founder of the NFL and founder and longtime owner of the Chicago Bears, George Halas.
History
The first NFC Championship Game was played following the 1970 regular season after the merger between the NFL and the AFL. The game is considered the successor to the original NFL Championship, and its game results are listed with that of its predecessor in the annual NFL Record and Fact Book. Since the pre-merger NFL consisted of six more teams than the AFL (16 teams for the NFL and 10 for the AFL), a realignment was done as part of the merger to create two conferences with an equal number of teams: The NFL's Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers joined the ten former AFL teams to form the AFC; while the remaining 13 pre-merger NFL clubs formed the NFC.
Every NFC team has played in an NFC Championship at least once. The Seattle Seahawks, who have been members in both the AFC and the NFC, hold the distinction of appearing in both conference title games. Only the Detroit Lions have yet to win or host an NFC Championship Game. The San Francisco 49ers have the most losses in the NFC Championship Game at 11, along with most appearances at 19, and have hosted the most at 11. Both the Dallas Cowboys and 49ers have won the most NFC Championships at 8 each.
The Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings are the only two NFC teams to appear in at least one NFC Championship game in every decade since 1970.
Playoff structure
The structure of the NFL playoffs has changed several times since 1970. At the end of each regular season, the top teams in the NFC qualify for the postseason, including all division champions (three division winners from the 1970–71 to 2001–02 seasons; four since the 2002–03 season) and a set number of "wild card" teams that possess the best win–loss records after the regular season yet fail to win their division (one wild card team from the 1970–71 to 1977–78 seasons; two wild cards from 1978–79 to 1989–90, and from 2002–03 to 2019–20; three from 1990–91 to 2001–02, and since 2020–21). The two teams remaining following the Wild Card round (first round) and the Divisional round (second round) play in the NFC Championship Game, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.
Initially, the site of the NFC Championship Game was determined on a rotating basis. Since the 1975–76 season, the site of the game has been based on playoff seeding based on the regular season won-loss record, with the highest surviving seed hosting the game. A wild card team can only host the game if both participants are wild cards; such an instance has yet to occur in the NFL.
George Halas Trophy
Beginning with the 1984–85 NFL playoffs, the winner of the NFC Championship Game has received the George Halas Trophy, named after the longtime owner and coach of the Chicago Bears, a charter member of the NFL. The original design consisted of a wooden base with a sculpted NFC logo in the front and a relief sculpture of various football players in the back. The Lamar Hunt Trophy, awarded to the AFC Champion, used a similar design with a sculpted AFC logo.
For the 2010–11 NFL playoffs, the two conference trophies were redesigned by Tiffany & Co. at the request of the NFL in an attempt to make both awards more significant. The trophies are now a new, silver design with the outline of a hollow football positioned on a small base to more closely resemble the Vince Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl.
In recent years conference championship rings are also awarded to members of the team who wins the AFC or NFC championship since they are the winners of the conference, even though they may not necessarily follow it up with a win in the Super Bowl.
The George Halas Trophy should not be confused with the Newspaper Enterprise Association's George Halas Trophy, which was awarded to the NFL's defensive player of the year from 1966 to 1996 or the Pro Football Writers Association's George S. Halas Courage Award.
Prior to the merger in 1970, the NFL champions were awarded the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, starting in 1934.
List of NFC Championship Games
:Numbers in parentheses in the winning team and losing team columns are NFC Championships won and lost by that team. Bold indicates team won Super Bowl that year. Numbers in parentheses in the city and stadium column is the number of times that metropolitan area and stadium has hosted a NFC Championship, respectively.
| Season | Playoffs | Date | Winning team | Score | Losing team | Score | Location | Stadium | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | January 3, 1971 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | 17 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | 10 | San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco and Santa Clara are located in the San Francisco Bay Area. | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197101030sfo.htm | title=Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 3rd, 1971 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-16}} | |
| 1971–72 | January 2, 1972 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | 14 | San Francisco 49ers (2) | 3 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | ||||
| 1972–73 | December 31, 1972 | Washington Redskins (1) | 26 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | 3 | Washington, D.C. | RFK StadiumThe 1972 Dallas Cowboys were the first ever NFC wild card franchise to advance to the Conference championship game. | ||||
| 1973–74 | December 30, 1973 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 27 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | 10 | Irving, Texas (2) | Texas Stadium (2) | ||||
| 1974–75 | December 29, 1974 | Minnesota Vikings (2) | 14 | Los Angeles Rams (1) | 10 | Bloomington]] and Minneapolis are located in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. | Metropolitan Stadium | ||||
| 1975–76 | January 4, 1976 | Dallas Cowboys (3) | 37 | Los Angeles Rams (2) | 7 | Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles and Inglewood are located in the Greater Los Angeles Area. | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/19760104ram.htm | title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams - January 4th, 1976 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-16}} | |
| 1976–77 | December 26, 1976 | Minnesota Vikings (3) | 24 | Los Angeles Rams (3) | 13 | Bloomington, Minnesota (2) | Metropolitan Stadium (2) | ||||
| 1977–78 | January 1, 1978 | Dallas Cowboys (4) | 23 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 6 | Irving, Texas (3) | Texas Stadium (3) | ||||
| 1978–79 | January 7, 1979 | Dallas Cowboys (5) | 28 | Los Angeles Rams (4) | 0 | Los Angeles, California (2) | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2) | ||||
| 1979–80 | January 6, 1980 | Los Angeles Rams (1) | 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) | 0 | Tampa, Florida | Tampa Stadium | ||||
| 1980–81 | January 11, 1981 | Philadelphia Eagles (1) | 20 | Dallas Cowboys (3) | 7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Veterans Stadium | ||||
| 1981–82 | January 10, 1982 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | 28 | Dallas Cowboys (4) | 27 | San Francisco, California (2) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198201100sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 10th, 1982 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-16}} | |
| 1982–83Played on Saturday | January 22, 1983 | Washington Redskins (2) | 31 | Dallas Cowboys (5) | 17 | Washington, D.C. (2) | RFK Stadium (2) | ||||
| 1983–84 | January 8, 1984 | Washington Redskins (3) | 24 | San Francisco 49ers (3) | 21 | Washington, D.C. (3) | RFK Stadium (3) | ||||
| 1984–85 | January 6, 1985 | San Francisco 49ers (2) | 23 | Chicago Bears (1) | 0 | San Francisco, California (3) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198501060sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - January 6th, 1985 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-16}} | |
| 1985–86 | January 12, 1986 | Chicago Bears (1) | 24 | Los Angeles Rams (5) | 0 | Chicago, Illinois | Soldier Field | ||||
| 1986–87 | January 11, 1987 | New York Giants (1) | 17 | Washington Redskins (1) | 0 | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Giants Stadium | ||||
| 1987–88 | January 17, 1988 | Washington Redskins (4) | 17 | Minnesota Vikings (2) | 10 | Washington, D.C. (4) | RFK Stadium (4) | ||||
| 1988–89 | January 8, 1989 | San Francisco 49ers (3) | 28 | Chicago Bears (2) | 3 | Chicago, Illinois (2) | Soldier Field (2) | ||||
| 1989–90 | January 14, 1990 | San Francisco 49ers (4) | 30 | Los Angeles Rams (6) | 3 | San Francisco, California (4) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001140sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers - January 14th, 1990 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-16}} | |
| 1990–91 | January 20, 1991 | New York Giants (2) | 15 | San Francisco 49ers (4) | 13 | San Francisco, California (5) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199101200sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers - January 20th, 1991 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 1991–92 | January 12, 1992 | Washington Redskins (5) | 41 | Detroit Lions (1) | 10 | Washington, D.C. (5) | RFK Stadium (5) | ||||
| 1992–93 | January 17, 1993 | Dallas Cowboys (6) | 30 | San Francisco 49ers (5) | 20 | San Francisco, California (6) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199301170sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 17th, 1993 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 1993–94 | January 23, 1994 | Dallas Cowboys (7) | 38 | San Francisco 49ers (6) | 21 | Irving, Texas (4) | Texas Stadium (4) | ||||
| 1994–95 | January 15, 1995 | San Francisco 49ers (5) | 38 | Dallas Cowboys (6) | 28 | San Francisco, California (7) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 15th, 1995 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 1995–96 | January 14, 1996 | Dallas Cowboys (8) | 38 | Green Bay Packers (1) | 27 | Irving, Texas (5) | Texas Stadium (5) | ||||
| 1996–97 | January 12, 1997 | Green Bay Packers (1) | 30 | Carolina Panthers (1) | 13 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Lambeau Field | ||||
| 1997–98 | January 11, 1998 | Green Bay Packers (2) | 23 | San Francisco 49ers (7) | 10 | San Francisco, California (8) | 3Com Park (7) | ||||
| 1998–99 | January 17, 1999 | Atlanta Falcons (1) | 30Overtime | Minnesota Vikings (3) | 27 | Minneapolis, Minnesota (3) | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | ||||
| 1999–00 | January 23, 2000 | St. Louis Rams (2) | 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2) | 6 | St. Louis, Missouri | Trans World DomeThe Dome at America's Center was originally known as the Trans World Dome, then the Edward Jones Dome. | ||||
| 2000–01 | January 14, 2001 | New York Giants (3) | 41 | Minnesota Vikings (4) | 0 | East Rutherford, New Jersey (2) | Giants Stadium (2) | ||||
| 2001–02 | January 27, 2002 | St. Louis Rams (3) | 29 | Philadelphia Eagles (1) | 24 | St. Louis, Missouri (2) | Edward Jones Dome (2) | ||||
| 2002–03 | January 19, 2003 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) | 27 | Philadelphia Eagles (2) | 10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200301190phi.htm | title=NFC Championship - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles - January 19th, 2003 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2003–04 | January 18, 2004 | Carolina Panthers (1) | 14 | Philadelphia Eagles (3) | 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3) | Lincoln Financial Field | ||||
| 2004–05 | January 23, 2005 | Philadelphia Eagles (2) | 27 | Atlanta Falcons (1) | 10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4) | Lincoln Financial Field (2) | ||||
| 2005–06 | January 22, 2006 | Seattle Seahawks (1) | 34 | Carolina Panthers (2) | 14 | Seattle, Washington | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200601220sea.htm | title=NFC Championship - Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks - January 22nd, 2006 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2006–07 | January 21, 2007 | Chicago Bears (2) | 39 | New Orleans Saints (1) | 14 | Chicago, Illinois (3) | Soldier Field (3) | ||||
| 2007–08 | January 20, 2008 | New York Giants (4) | 23 | Green Bay Packers (2) | 20 | Green Bay, Wisconsin (2) | Lambeau Field (2) | ||||
| 2008–09 | January 18, 2009 | Arizona Cardinals (1) | 32 | Philadelphia Eagles (4) | 25 | Glendale, Arizona | University of Phoenix Stadium | ||||
| 2009–10 | January 24, 2010 | New Orleans Saints (1) | 31 | Minnesota Vikings (5) | 28 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Louisiana SuperdomeCaesars Superdome was originally named the Louisiana Superdome, then Mercedes-Benz Superdome. | ||||
| 2010–11 | January 23, 2011 | Green Bay Packers (3) | 21 | Chicago Bears (3) | 14 | Chicago, Illinois (4) | Soldier Field (4) | ||||
| 2011–12 | January 22, 2012 | New York Giants (5) | 20 | San Francisco 49ers (8) | 17 | San Francisco, California (9) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201201220sfo.htm | title=NFC Championship - New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers - January 22nd, 2012 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2012–13 | January 20, 2013 | San Francisco 49ers (6) | 28 | Atlanta Falcons (2) | 24 | Atlanta, Georgia | Georgia Dome | ||||
| 2013–14 | January 19, 2014 | Seattle Seahawks (2) | 23 | San Francisco 49ers (9) | 17 | Seattle, Washington (2) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201401190sea.htm | title=NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks - January 19th, 2014 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2014–15 | January 18, 2015 | Seattle Seahawks (3) | 28 | Green Bay Packers (3) | 22 | Seattle, Washington (3) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201501180sea.htm | title=NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks - January 18th, 2015 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2015–16 | January 24, 2016 | Carolina Panthers (2) | 49 | Arizona Cardinals (1) | 15 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Bank of America Stadium | ||||
| 2016–17 | January 22, 2017 | Atlanta Falcons (2) | 44 | Green Bay Packers (4) | 21 | Atlanta, Georgia (2) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201701220atl.htm | title=NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons - January 22nd, 2017 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2017–18 | January 21, 2018 | Philadelphia Eagles (3) | 38 | Minnesota Vikings (6) | 7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5) | Lincoln Financial Field (3) | ||||
| 2018–19 | January 20, 2019 | Los Angeles Rams (4) | 26 | New Orleans Saints (2) | 23 | New Orleans, Louisiana (2) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201901200nor.htm | title=NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints - January 20th, 2019 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2019–20 | January 19, 2020 | San Francisco 49ers (7) | |||||||||
| 37 | Green Bay Packers (5) | 20 | Santa Clara, California (10) | Levi's Stadium | |||||||
| 2020–21 | January 24, 2021 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2) | 31 | Green Bay Packers (6) | 26 | Green Bay, Wisconsin (3) | Lambeau Field (3) | ||||
| 2021–22 | January 30, 2022 | Los Angeles Rams (5) | 20 | San Francisco 49ers (10) | 17 | Inglewood, California (3) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202201300ram.htm | title=NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - January 30th, 2022 | website=Pro Football Reference | access-date=2024-11-17}} | |
| 2022–23 | January 29, 2023 | Philadelphia Eagles (4) | 31 | San Francisco 49ers (11) | 7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6) | Lincoln Financial Field (4) | ||||
| 2023–24 | January 28, 2024 | San Francisco 49ers (8) | 34 | Detroit Lions (2) | 31 | Santa Clara, California (11) | Levi's Stadium (2) | ||||
| 2024–25 | January 26, 2025 | Philadelphia Eagles (5) | 55 | Washington Commanders (2) | 23 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7) | Lincoln Financial Field (5) | ||||
| 2025–26 | January 25, 2026 | Seattle Seahawks (4) | 31 | Los Angeles Rams (7) | 27 | Seattle, Washington (4) | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202601250sea.htm | title=NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks - January 25th, 2026 | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date=January 26, 2026}} |
Appearances, 1970–present
In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of appearances, then by number of wins, and finally by year of first appearance.
| # | Team | W | L | % | PF | PA | Last game | Last win | Home games | Home wins | Home losses | Home win % | Away games | Away wins | Away losses | Away win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 11 | 402 | 391 | 2023 | 2023 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 14 | Dallas Cowboys | 8 | 6 | 317 | 264 | 1995 | 1995 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | |||
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams | 5 | 7 | 128 | 227 | 2025 | 2021 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | 5 | 4 | 233 | 156 | 2024 | 2024 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | 3 | 6 | 136 | 175 | 2017 | 1976 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | |||
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 3 | 6 | 184 | 207 | 2020 | 2010 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | |||
| 7 | Washington Commanders | 5 | 2 | 162 | 133 | 2024 | 1991 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 5 | New York Giants | 5 | 0 | 116 | 50 | 2011 | 2011 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Chicago Bears | 2 | 3 | 80 | 86 | 2010 | 2006 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 4 | Seattle Seahawks | 4 | 0 | 116 | 80 | 2025 | 2025 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 2 | 108 | 103 | 2016 | 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | 2 | 2 | 90 | 82 | 2015 | 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 2 | 64 | 56 | 2020 | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | 1 | 2 | 68 | 93 | 2018 | 2009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 1 | 47 | 74 | 2015 | 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Detroit Lions | 0 | 2 | 41 | 75 | 2023 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Appearances by year
In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of appearances, then by number of wins, and finally by year of first appearance. In the "Season(s)" column, bold years indicate winning Conference Championship appearances.
| Apps | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % | Season(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 11 | 1970, 1971, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 | |
| 14 | Dallas Cowboys | 8 | 6 | 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 | |
| 12 | Los Angeles/St. Louis RamsIncludes appearances during the Rams' first tenure in Los Angeles (the 1970 merger to 1994), where they went 1–6 in NFC Championship Games; and their period as the St. Louis Rams (1995–2015), where they went 2–0 in NFC Championship Games. | 5 | 7 | 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1989, 1999, 2001, 2018, 2021, 2025 | |
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | 5 | 4 | 1980, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2017, 2022, 2024 | |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | 3 | 6 | 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1998, 2000, 2009, 2017 | |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 3 | 6 | 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020 | |
| 7 | Washington Redskins/CommandersThe Commanders were known as the Redskins during their first six NFC Championship appearances. | 5 | 2 | 1972, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1991, 2024 | |
| 5 | New York Giants | 5 | 0 | 1986, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2011 | |
| 5 | Chicago Bears | 2 | 3 | 1984, 1985, 1988, 2006, 2010 | |
| 4 | Seattle SeahawksThe Seahawks were members of the NFC in 1976 and then members of the AFC from 1977 to 2001, before rejoining the NFC in 2002. Including their only appearance (1983) in the AFC Championship Game (0–1), they hold a combined 4–1 record between both Conference Championship Games. | 4 | 0 | 2005, 2013, 2014, 2025 | |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 2 | 1979, 1999, 2002, 2020 | |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | 2 | 2 | 1996, 2003, 2005, 2015 | |
| 4 | Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 2 | 1998, 2004, 2012, 2016 | |
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | 1 | 2 | 2006, 2009, 2018 | |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 1 | 2008, 2015 | |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | 0 | 2 | 1991, 2023 |
Records by division
The table below shows NFC Championship Game records by division, based on the division the franchise was in during the season the championship game was played. The NFL realigned divisions prior to the 2002 season, renaming the NFC Central as the NFC North, creating the NFC South, and shifting several teams among the divisions.
| Division | Total | 1970–2001 | 2002–present | Apps | Wins | Losses | Win % | Apps | Wins | Losses | Win % | Apps | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFC East | 35 | 23 | 12 | 25 | 17NFC East conference championship game victories. Pre-2002: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000. Since 2002: 2004, 2007, 2011, 2017, 2022, 2024 | 8NFC East conference championship game losses. Pre-2002: 1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1994, 2001. Since 2002: 2002, 2003, 2008, 2024 | 10 | 6 | 4 | ||||||
| NFC North | 27 | 8 | 19 | 16 | 6NFC North conference championship game victories. Pre-2002: 1973, 1974, 1976, 1985, 1996, 1997. Since 2002: 2006, 2010. | 10NFC North conference championship game losses. Pre-2002: 1977, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000. Since 2002: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023 | 11 | 2 | 9 | ||||||
| NFC South | 11 | 6 | 5 | colspan=4 | 11 | 6NFC South conference championship game victories: 2002, 2003, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2020 | 5NFC South conference championship game losses: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2018 | ||||||||
| NFC West | 39 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 9NFC West conference championship game victories. Pre-2002: 1979, 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001. Since 2002: 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025 | 14NFC West conference championship game losses. Pre-2002: 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997. Since 2002: 2011, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2025 | 16 | 10 | 6 |
Most common matchups
| Count | Matchup | Record | Years played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers | Cowboys, 4–2 | 1970, 1971, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1994 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins / Commanders | Washington, 2–0 | 1972, 1982 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings | Tie, 1–1 | 1973, 1977 |
| 2 | Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings | Vikings, 2–0 | 1974, 1976 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams | Cowboys, 2–0 | 1975, 1978 |
| 2 | Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rams, 2–0 | 1979, 1999 |
| 2 | Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers | 49ers, 2–0 | 1984, 1988 |
| 2 | Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers | Tie, 1–1 | 1989, 2021 |
| 2 | New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers | Giants, 2–0 | 1990, 2011 |
| 2 | Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers | Tie, 1–1 | 1997, 2019 |
NFC Championship Game records
- Most victories: 8 (tie)
- Most losses: 11** – San Francisco 49ers (1970–1971, 1983, 1990, 1992–1993, 1997, 2011, 2013, 2021–2022)
- Most appearances: 19** – San Francisco 49ers (1970–1971, 1981, 1983–1984, 1988–1990, 1992–1994, 1997, 2011–2013, 2019, 2021–2023)
- Most consecutive appearances: 4 (tie, 2 teams, 3 times)
- Most consecutive victories: 2 (tie, 6 teams, 8 times)
- Most victories without a loss: 5** – New York Giants (1986, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2011)
- Most appearances without a win: 2 – Detroit Lions (1991, 2023)
- Most consecutive losses before first win: 4* – Los Angeles Rams (1974, 1975, 1976, 1978)
- Most consecutive appearances without a win: 6** – Minnesota Vikings (1977, 1987, 1998, 2000, 2009, 2017)
- Most defensive shutouts: 2* – New York Giants (1986, 17–0 vs Redskins and 2000, 41–0 vs Vikings)
- Most times shut out: 2** – Los Angeles Rams (1978, 0–28 vs Cowboys and 1985, 0–24 vs Bears)
- Most consecutive losses: 3* (tie, 3 times)
- Most games hosted: 11* – San Francisco 49ers (1970, 1981, 1984, 1989–1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2011, 2019, 2023)
- Most consecutive games hosted: 3 – Philadelphia Eagles (2002–2004)
- Most common matchup: 6** – Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers (1970–1971, 1981, 1992–1994)
- Most points scored: 55** – January 26, 2025 (2024) – Philadelphia Eagles (55) vs. Washington Commanders (23)
- Largest margin of victory: 41 points – January 14, 2001 (2000) – New York Giants (41) vs. Minnesota Vikings (0)
- Smallest margin of victory: 1 point** – January 10, 1982 (1981) – San Francisco 49ers (28) vs. Dallas Cowboys (27)
- Fewest points scored, winning team: 9** – January 6, 1980 (1979) – Los Angeles Rams (9) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0)
- Fewest points scored: 0* (tie, 5 teams, 6 times)
- January 7, 1979 (1978) – Los Angeles Rams (0) vs Dallas Cowboys (28)
- January 6, 1980 (1979) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0) vs Los Angeles Rams (9)
- January 6, 1985 (1984) – Chicago Bears (0) vs San Francisco 49ers (23)
- January 12, 1986 (1985) – Los Angeles Rams (0) vs Chicago Bears (24)
- January 11, 1987 (1986) – Washington Redskins (0) vs New York Giants (17)
- January 14, 2001 (2000) – Minnesota Vikings (0) vs New York Giants 41
- Most points scored, losing team: 31 – January 28, 2024 (2023) – Detroit Lions (31) vs. San Francisco 49ers (34)
- Most combined points scored: 78** – January 26, 2025 (2024) – Philadelphia Eagles (55) vs. Washington Commanders (23)
- Fewest combined points scored: 9** – January 6, 1980 (1979) – Los Angeles Rams (9) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0)
- Longest game: 71 minutes, 52 seconds** – January 17, 1999 (1998) – Atlanta Falcons (30) @ Minnesota Vikings (27), OT
- Most NFC Championships won in overtime: 2** – New York Giants (2007, 2011)
- Most NFC Championships lost in overtime: 2* (tie)
- Current teams which have never hosted an NFC Championship Game: Detroit LionsThe Lions last hosted and won the 1957 NFL Championship Game during the pre-Super Bowl era.
- Current teams which have never won an NFC Championship: Detroit Lions (0–2)
- Longest drought without appearing in an NFC Championship Game: Dallas Cowboys (last appearance – 1995)
- Longest drought without an NFC Championship: Detroit Lions**
- Highest attendance: 88,919 – Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 4, 1976 (1975)
- Largest comeback: 17 points (tie)
- Overtime games:
Notes:
- Tied for Conference Championship record
** Conference Championship record
TV ratings
- 2024: 44.2 million
Footnotes
References
- Time Almanac 2004
References
- (27 June 2023). "2023 NFL Record and Fact Book". National Football League.
- Alfano, Jonathan. (2024-01-23). "NFC Championship Game history: Wins, losses, results, teams".
- Marczi, Matthew. (2024-01-22). "49ers Tie Steelers In Hosting Record 11th Conference Championship Game".
- (2024-01-24). "Conference title games new for some, old hat for others".
- (2023-01-23). "NFC Championship Game history: Most wins, losses and appearances".
- Urena, I., ''Pro Football Schedules: A Complete Historical Guide from 1933 to the Present'' ([[Jefferson, North Carolina
- (2007). "The ESPN pro football encyclopedia". Sterling Pub. Co.
- "NFC's Halas trophy has new look". Chicago Sun-Times.
- Bell, Jarrett. (January 25, 2011). "NFL Replay: Gritty Steelers aren't pretty, but they are Super". USA Today.
- (10 June 2017). "First look at the Atlanta Falcons NFC Championship rings". 247sports.com.
- "Brandin Cooks thanks Patriots for AFC Championship ring". 247sports.com.
- "Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 3rd, 1971".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys - January 2nd, 1972".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins - December 31st, 1972".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys - December 30th, 1973".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings - December 29th, 1974".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams - January 4th, 1976".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings - December 26th, 1976".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys - January 1st, 1978".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams - January 7th, 1979".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - January 6th, 1980".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - January 11th, 1981".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 10th, 1982".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins - January 22nd, 1983".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins - January 8th, 1984".
- "NFC Championship - Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - January 6th, 1985".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears - January 12th, 1986".
- "NFC Championship - Washington Redskins at New York Giants - January 11th, 1987".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins - January 17th, 1988".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears - January 8th, 1989".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers - January 14th, 1990".
- "NFC Championship - New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers - January 20th, 1991".
- "NFC Championship - Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins - January 12th, 1992".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 17th, 1993".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys - January 23rd, 1994".
- "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 15th, 1995".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys - January 14th, 1996".
- "NFC Championship - Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers - January 12th, 1997".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers - January 11th, 1998".
- "NFC Championship - Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings - January 17th, 1999".
- "NFC Championship - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at St. Louis Rams - January 23rd, 2000".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants - January 14th, 2001".
- "NFC Championship - Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Rams - January 27th, 2002".
- "NFC Championship - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles - January 19th, 2003".
- "NFC Championship - Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles - January 18th, 2004".
- "NFC Championship - Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles - January 23rd, 2005".
- "NFC Championship - Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks - January 22nd, 2006".
- "NFC Championship - New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears - January 21st, 2007".
- "NFC Championship - New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - January 20th, 2008".
- "NFC Championship - Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals - January 18th, 2009".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints - January 24th, 2010".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears - January 23rd, 2011".
- "NFC Championship - New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers - January 22nd, 2012".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons - January 20th, 2013".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks - January 19th, 2014".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks - January 18th, 2015".
- "NFC Championship - Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers - January 24th, 2016".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons - January 22nd, 2017".
- "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles - January 21st, 2018".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints - January 20th, 2019".
- "NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers - January 19th, 2020".
- "NFC Championship - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers - January 24th, 2021".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - January 30th, 2022".
- "NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles - January 29th, 2023".
- "NFC Championship - Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers - January 28th, 2024".
- (January 19, 2025). "Saquon Barkley runs Philly to NFC Championship Game, Eagles beat Rams 28-22".
- "NFC Championship - Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles - January 26th, 2025".
- "NFC Championship - Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks - January 25th, 2026".
- Crupi, Anthony. (2025-01-28). "Chiefs, Bills Set AFC Title Game Record With 57.4M Viewers".
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about NFC Championship Game — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report