Fans had high hopes going into the NFC Championship game as the San Francisco 49ers had managed to turn around a season that looked unsalvageable halfway through the season into a team that was spectacular to watch.
After a strong start to the football game, the 49ers fell one quarter short of a return to Super Bowl LVI when the team failed to hold onto a lead of 10 points over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, January 30th. The game ended with a loss against the Rams of 20-17.

The end of this game had similarities to the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs two years ago as the 49ers quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, struggled in the fourth quarter and the defense couldn’t deliver the big play to turn the tide of the game. Jaquiski Tartt, a safety for the 49ers, dropped an interception that was most consequential to the game, and Garoppolo went 3 for 9 in the fourth quarter with a total of 30 yards. He threw an interception on what could have been his final pass with the 49ers.

When asked about the loss, sophomore Sabrina Philip said that “It’s a sincere let-down that the 49ers lost, but let’s pray they come back stronger next year. They had a hard fight throughout the game, leading the score until close to the end. They never gave up, and let’s hope this mentality continues next season.”

After blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead for the second time in three postseasons, the 49ers head into an uncertain offseason that will likely see the departure of Garoppolo and other changes to the team. San Francisco traded three first-round picks last spring to draft Trey Lance to be Garoppolo’s successor as quarterback, and the team will most likely move on to him this offseason.