Barry Sanders, Joe Montana to serve as Lions, 49ers honorary captains in NFC title game

A pair of NFL icons will represent the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game (6:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). 

Barry Sanders and Joe Montana will serve as the honorary captains for the Lions and 49ers, respectively, in Sunday’s game. 

Both players are viewed as among the best in NFL history, serving as the faces of the league during the 1980s and ’90s. Sanders is one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, running for 15,269 yards in just 10 seasons for the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history.

Sanders’ tenure in Detroit didn’t end on the brightest of notes. He abruptly retired on the eve of the 1999 season, which came after he made his 10th straight All-Pro team and two seasons after he was the league’s MVP. He also made the decision two years after he renewed his contract with the Lions, who demanded that he return $7.37 million of his $11 million signing bonus. 

Both Sanders and the Lions were at odds with each other for several years following his retirement. However, they’ve repaired the relationship in recent years. Sanders rejoined the organization as a team ambassador in 2017 and received a statue modeled after him outside of Ford Field in September.

Montana, meanwhile, was arguably the most decorated quarterback and player of the 20th century. The two-time MVP led the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins over his 14 seasons in San Francisco.

Sanders played in the NFC Championship Game only once, in which the Lions lost to Washington in the 1991 season. Montana started five NFC Championship Games during his time in San Francisco, winning four times. 

The honorary captain typically presents the trophy to the winning team in the AFC and NFC Championship Games. So, if the Lions win, Sanders will present them with their first George Halas Trophy. If the 49ers win, Montana will present them with their second George Halas Trophy in the last five seasons. San Francisco is seeking its eighth trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history.