Barry Sanders, Joe Montana Named Honorary Captains for Lions vs. 49ers NFC Title Game

Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Barry Sanders will serve as the honorary captains for the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, respectively, when their former teams square off in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

John Lynch, the 49ers’ general manager, revealed the news to reporters on Thursday.

Montana is a four-time Super Bowl champion who played quarterback for the 49ers from 1979-1992 before ending his career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 and 1994. The two-time NFL MVP, three-time Super Bowl MVP and three-time All-Pro led the NFL in completion percentage on five occasions.

Sanders amassed 18,190 total yards and 109 touchdowns during his 10-year career (1989-1998) with the Lions. He led the league in rushing on four occasions, including a 2,053-yard performance in 1997. His 15,269 rushing yards rank fourth all-time. Sanders also made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 seasons, earning All-Pro honors six times as well.

Now those two legends will take the field with their former teams on Sunday when they face off for a Super Bowl berth. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET from Santa Clara, California’s Levi’s Stadium, the home of the 49ers.

The winner will face either the Baltimore Ravens or Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.