The 2023 NFL Conference Championship Games feature the Kansas City Chiefs for the sixth consecutive season, while the San Francisco 49ers have reached this stage for the third straight season and fourth time in five seasons. 

The Chiefs and 49ers are joined by the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions. The Ravens haven't reached the Conference Championship since they won the Super Bowl in 2012. The Lions have only reached the NFC Championship in one prior season when they lost to Washington in 1991.

The Lions are the 12th separate NFC team to reach a Conference Championship over the past decade, while 10 separate AFC teams have reached that point during the timespan.

The Atlanta Falcons are not picking up the fifth-year option on Hayden Hurst, according to a source.

The tight end will now become a free agent after the 2021 season.

Atlanta acquired Hurst, the 25th overall pick in 2018, from the Baltimore Ravens last year. He was the team's No. 1 option at tight end last season, but the Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 pick last week.

Despite eight straight appearances from the New England Patriots, the NFL sent 20 separate teams to a Conference Championship game during the decade of 2010-2019.

The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers ranked tied for second in the decade with four appearances apiece, including Sunday's game to decide the 2019 NFC champion. 

No teams had three appearances, while the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens had two apiece. 

The NFL has just two teams ranking in the top-10 in DVOA on both Offense and Defense at the end of the regular season in the Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.

The Chiefs, Steelers, Seahawks, Rams, Packers, Falcons, Patriots and Saints also rank in the top-10 on offense, while the Cowboys, Jaguars, Texans, Bears, Vikings, Broncos, Ravens and Bills are in the top-10 on defense.

The Chiefs rank first in the NFL in both Total DVOA and Weighted DVOA.

Le'Veon Bell has been one of the most valuable players in the NFL and he is reaching the end of his career with the Steelers as they compete for a Super Bowl.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Jimmy Garoppolo enters his first full season as a starter with an unprecedented level of hype that will be a lot to live up to for a 49ers' team that has struggled badly since Jim Harbaugh left.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Andrew Luck returns from an injury that could have become career-ending to a Colts roster at an inflection point.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

Unlike so many great players this offseason, the Falcons held off on giving Julio Jones a full contract extension, which makes 2018 even more critical for him.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell

As he has for basically every season since 2002, Tom Brady will play a central role in the NFL's narrative.

Ryan Shazier won't play in 2018 and very well may never play again, but his recovery will remain a key part of the NFL landscape for a variety of reasons.

Full List of Essential 50

50. Drew Brees

49. Larry Fitzgerald

48. DeForest Buckner

47. Adam Thielen

46. Eric Berry

45. Corey Davis

44. Ali Marpet

43. Sam Darnold

42. Golden Tate

41. Geno Atkins

40. Mitchell Trubisky

39. C.J. Mosley

38. Jameis Winston

37. Landon Collins

36. Vic Beasley Jr.

35. Ryan Tannehill

34. Amari Cooper 

33. Malcolm Jenkins

32. Christian McCaffrey

31. LeSean McCoy

30. Patrick Mahomes

29. Bradley Roby

28. Dalvin Cook

27. DeMarcus Lawrence

26. Russell Wilson

25. Cam Newton

24. Joey Bosa

23. Alex Smith

22. Alvin Kamara

21. Jadeveon Clowney

20. Jarvis Landry

19. David Johnson

18. Ezekiel Elliott 

17. Khalil Mack

16. Myles Garrett

15. Deshaun Watson

14. Carson Wentz

13. Todd Gurley

12. Rob Gronkowski

11. Jalen Ramsey

10. Aaron Rodgers

9. Earl Thomas

8. Aaron Donald

7. Odell Beckham Jr.

6. Ryan Shazier

5. Tom Brady

4. Julio Jones

3. Andrew Luck

2. Jimmy Garoppolo

1. Le'Veon Bell