National Football League

The Lions' blue jerseys might have already decided the 49ers' Super Bowl fate

Published Jan. 29, 2024 8:58 p.m. ET

If history repeats itself, the San Francisco 49ers have already put themselves in square position to win the Super Bowl. But not for the reason many might think.

This reason is a colorful one, and has to do with the fact that Detroit wears blue as its primary jersey color. That's right, each time San Francisco has beaten a team that wears blue in the NFC Championship, the team has gone on to win the Super Bowl.

The Niners are a perfect five-for-five in the metric, winning championship games against the Cowboys (1982), Bears (1985,1989), Rams (1990) and Cowboys again in ‘95 en route to their five Super Bowl victories. When the team lost in the final game, it saw red just before advancing there, defeating Atlanta in 2013 and Green Bay in 2020’s NFC Championship.

The Niners will tie the NFL's record for total Super Bowl wins (six) if they're able to collect a title against Kansas City in two weeks. And if they can extinguish their red-wearing opponent, they'll preserve another record in games that follow blue foes as well.

Can San Francisco continue its unblemished streak?