NFL: Philadelphia Eagles host new rivals San Francisco 49ers in NFC Championship rematch

San Francisco seem destined to win another championship after rebuilding a roster that former 49ers player Joe Staley says was "pretty much decimated" in 2017, when John Lynch was appointed general manager and Kyle Shanahan head coach.

Via shrewd draft picks and free agent signings, they have turned the five-time Super Bowl winners back into genuine contenders, reaching three of the last four NFC Championship games and losing to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 54.

And in their quest to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Bay for the first time since 1995, the 49ers took their roster to another level with mid-season trades for free-scoring running back Christian McCaffrey last year then defensive end Chase Young last month.

"This is the culmination of a lot of hard work in the front office and on the coaching staff," Staley told BBC Sport. "They built it the right way, and myself, a lot of former players and fans take a lot of pride in that.

"This has been a vision of having sustained success for the franchise, not just a one or two-year window, so it's really exciting that it's not only going to be this season but for years to come.

"The way the roster's been built, especially at key positions, this team has so much talent - offensively and defensively. The opposition has to play their absolute best to even have a chance."

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