49ers Deebo Samuel Lions C.J. Gardner-Johnson NFC title game beef

Deebo Samuel and CJGJ's rivalry continued in the NFC title game, with plenty of trash talk and drama between the two.

The NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions was a highly anticipated rematch, with a personal rivalry between Deebo Samuel and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson taking center stage. The game saw Gardner-Johnson flagged for an unnecessary hit on Samuel, and by Monday morning, Samuel was ready to rub it in. The Lions led 20-7 in the second quarter, and CJGJ waved goodbye to 49ers fans, only for the Lions to eventually fall 34-31 in dramatic fashion.

This rivalry dates back to last year's NFC title game, where the Eagles defeated the 49ers 31-7 after 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was injured in the first quarter. Samuel expressed frustration at the loss, calling the Eagles his "most hated team" and pointing to the trash talk from their fan base and players. Gardner-Johnson fit that mold perfectly, and their rivalry intensified when they got into a skirmish before the opening kickoff of a game between the 49ers and the Cleveland Browns.

The tension between Samuel and Gardner-Johnson spilled over onto social media, with both players taking shots at each other. Gardner-Johnson called Samuel a running back who "can't run routes," and Samuel responded by dismissing Gardner-Johnson's comments and questioning his relevance in the NFL.

The NFC Championship game was another chapter in their ongoing rivalry, and it's clear that these two players have a lot of history and animosity between them. Their personal feud adds an extra layer of intensity to their on-field matchups, and it will be interesting to see how their rivalry continues to develop in the future.

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