San Francisco 49ers legend Steve Young and entertainment superstar Eminem, a longtime Detroit Lions fan, understandably had different experiences watching this past January’s NFC Championship Game held at Levi’s Stadium.
During a recent appearance on San Francisco sports radio station KNBR, Young explained how he and Eminem chatted when the Lions held what seemed to be a commanding 24-7 halftime lead over the 49ers that Sunday.
“I mean, you know how I felt about that game and how painful it was — for Eminem,” Young said, as shared by Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I went and saw him at halftime. I introduced myself to him and was like, ‘You taste it, don’t you?’ And he was like, ‘I do taste it. It’s in my mouth.’ I go, ‘Spit it out, bro. Because you got to get to 34 [points]. And when you get to 34, I’m two doors down, come down and see me — we’ll celebrate your great victory.'”
The “taste” Young referred to presumably relates to the fact that the Lions had never made a single Super Bowl appearance heading into that game. Young’s words proved prophetic, as San Francisco’s resiliency and some controversial decisions made by Detroit head coach Dan Campbell created an ideal atmosphere for an epic comeback.
San Francisco beat Detroit 34-31 but then fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
“I’m not that kind of guy,” Young said about not verbally dunking on Eminem after San Francisco’s victory over Detroit. “…He was a good dude. He was thoughtful. You could see what a fan he was.”
As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the 49ers as the betting favorites at +250 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX. The Lions were second on the list at +550 odds.
While plenty can happen from Week 1 through the postseason tournament, it’s undeniably possible that Young and Eminem could enjoy another conversation regarding their teams facing off in an NFC title game as soon as January.