Touch Downl NFL

Ron Rivera took the Carolina Panthers from also-ran to division champion this season, earning him the Coach of the Year award.

Luke Kuechly has been voted The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, adding the honor to his top defensive rookie award of 2012.

The San Francisco 49ers' long road trip to a Super Bowl return will now take them to Seattle after beating the Panthers 23-10 in Carolina.

The fifth-seeded 49ers will head to the noisiest stadium in the world to play in their third straight NFC Championship game after already logging thousands of playoff miles while earning victories in Carolina and Green Bay. San Francisco split two games with their division rivals this season, winning at Candlestick Park but losing in Seattle.