San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was dubbed “so damn lucky” by Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor after his big reception against him that changed the outcome of the NFC championship game. The Detroit Lions have flipped to the NFL season of 2024.
However, that does not negate the fact that the events of the NFC championship game continue to cause animosity. The most recent member of the Lions team to openly voice dissatisfaction about the events of the second half of the defeat is cornerback Kindle Vildor.
At Lions minicamp, Vildor informed reporters that he switched off the television in irritation after watching the NFC championship game between the San Francisco 49ers on NFL Network this spring.
Nevertheless, he stayed in to witness Brandon Aiyuk’s 51-yard reception in the third quarter. Clearly, that play touched a chord with the seasoned cornerback. According to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press, Vildor remarked on June 4, “I was just watching, and I’m like, ‘They got so damn lucky, man.” “It’s like, wow, this guy. This is absurd.
I eventually took my family shopping. Vildor might have intercepted Aiyuk’s 51-yard reception. Vildor was hit first in the face mask by the pass. However, Aiyuk caught a reception off the ricochet inside the Lions’ 5-yard line.
Brandon Aiyuk’s 51-Yard Catch Turned the Tide in the NFC Championship
At the start of the third quarter, San Francisco had already stopped the Lions on a fourth-and-2 and made a 43-yard field goal. Thus, the momentum was changing. But Aiyuk’s catch changed the course of the match. The 49ers were in the end zone three plays after his 51-yard reception, cutting the Lions’ lead to seven points.
In the second half, the 49ers scored 27 points in a row before the Lions answered. During that time, San Francisco scored three touchdowns, with Aiyuk’s grab setting up the first.
That grab could have very easily been an interception.
“At the last minute, he raised his hand, and I raised mine, and I kind of lost it, and it just hit me in the face and it went straight to him,” Vildor remarked.
“I couldn’t believe it like, because I was so far on top of him, so I’m like, ‘OK, it’s coming right to me. “It was just really unfortunate, and then, man, it was just crazy.” After that play, San Francisco had such a significant advantage that Vildor said, “God was on their side.”
Kindle Vildor Learning From NFC Championship Mistake
The Lions committed a lot of mistakes in the second half of the NFC title game, and that wasn’t the only one. The lost 17-point advantage was the result of numerous plays. Still, Vildor could not shake the feeling that he had lost a chance to alter the course of events.
However, Vildor is using the play as inspiration as he gets ready for 2024. “Leave the ball down, just look back on it,” he uttered. “Just get it done at all costs, but I learned from it, and I think the chance will present itself and we’ll definitely make that play.”
On October 20 of last year, Vildor was signed by the Lions.After making his Detroit debut in Week 14, he started all two of the regular season’s remaining games as well as the playoffs.
The Lions added seasoned players Carlton Davis and Akik Robertson this summer. Additionally, they selected Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw as rookies. This season, Vildor is not expected to start for the Lions defense.
However, he should offer Emmanuel Moseley, Khalil Dorsey, and other important veteran depth. This summer, Vildor, Dorsey, and Moseley all signed one-year contracts to return to Detroit.
Dave Holcomb is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Philadelphia Eagles while covering MLB and the NFL. Holcomb, who is originally from Pittsburgh, has covered professional and collegiate sports for publications like Yardbarker, FanSided, and Rotowire.
