The obvious storyline for Sunday’s NFC championship game centers on unexpected breakout stars.
There is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, 24, who entered the season with questions about his ability, only to become an MVP candidate whom his head coach now compares to no less than Michael Jordan.
There is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, 23, who was a third-stringer after being the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and is now looking for his eighth straight victory as a starter.
And then there is … Greg Olsen, 37, the retired, mostly small-market tight end who, due to a wild shake-up in the NFL broadcasting ranks last year, became Fox’s lead game analyst and has quickly become a viewer and critic favorite for his insightful and easygoing manner.