The Packers and 49ers have played each other in the playoffs eight times, with each team winning four, and several of those games being remembered as NFL postseason classics. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers knows all about it.
But Rodgers indicated that while he can appreciate the history, that probably matters more to fans than to the players on the field. Rodgers noted that Packers fans still get upset about a missed call on a Jerry Rice fumble setting up Steve Young’s game-winning touchdown pass to Terrell Owens in the 1998 playoffs, but said that doesn’t have a lot of bearing on this week’s game.
“It’s not really motivation,” Rodgers said. “Motivation comes from within. I already have enough motivation. Inspiration? I did watch this rivalry growing up. One big moment that sticks out was Young to T.O., for sure, and I think a lot of Packer fans talk about there being a fumble on that drive that wasn’t called. But no extra motivation. I’ve been around and played a lot of football. I understand the history of this rivalry, the history of us against them. But these are two different teams.”
Football fans can only hope to get a game on Saturday as good as some of those Packers-49ers playoff games of the past.