On Saturday night, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will meet the San Francisco 49ers. The game should be particularly explosive for the Packers quarterback – after all, Rodgers has never been able to win against the 49ers in the playoffs.

Munich – Aaron Rodgers has once again led the Green Bay Packers into the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

There they will now face Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. It will be a reunion after the thriller in week three, which the Packers narrowly won 30-28.

But that’s not the only reason why it should be a special matchup for the 38-year-old. Rodgers and the 49ers have a special relationship that goes back to his childhood.

Refusing to take Rodgers in the 2005 draft

Rodgers was born in Chico, California in 1983 and grew up an ardent 49ers fan. “I remember sitting together at our Super Bowl party watching Joe Montana and ‘The Drive.’ That’s when I was five or six years old and I was like, ‘I want to do that. I want to go out there and be like him.”

Almost, young Rodgers’ dreams came true just like that, too.

San Francisco had the first pick in the 2005 draft and Rodgers, who at the time played for nearby University of California, was one of the hottest candidates for that slot.

However, the 49ers ultimately chose Alex Smith and passed on him.

Rodgers reacted afterwards with a statement in which some disappointment and defiance resonated. Asked how disappointed he was not to have become a 49er, he replied icily: “Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn’t draft me.”

“How disappointed are you that you won’t be a 49er?”

“Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn’t draft me.”

– Aaron Rodgers GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/UGSag6wQ92

– IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) January 17, 2022

Green Bay took advantage, selecting Rodgers at No. 24 – despite already having a Hall-of-Fame-worthy playmaker in Brett Favre on their roster. The risk Packers GM Ted Thompson took with the move paid off.

Fearsome opponents in the playoffs

Looking at the regular season, Rodgers can look back on a thoroughly satisfying record against his favourite childhood team. From nine games against the 49ers, he walked off the field as the winner six times. Added to that are 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

The last two meetings in the past seasons also went to A-Rod and the Packers.

However, things look completely different in the playoffs. Three times the 38-year-old has faced the 49ers in the postseason – three times he got the short end of the stick. In 2012 and 2013, he suffered back-to-back defeats against San Francisco. Both times against the duo of quarterback and coach Colin Kaepernick and Jim Harbaugh.

The last defeat was just two years ago and should still be particularly painful. In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers already led 20-0 at halftime and easily took the game 37-20 – Rodgers completed 31 of 39 passes for 326 yards, threw two touchdowns but also two interceptions.

Rodgers’ wishes for Saturday: cold weather and loud fans

This year, things are supposed to be different and Rodgers wants to finally get his first playoffs win against San Francisco. Despite his personal relationship with the 49ers, he would do well to keep a cool head on Saturday.

“There are four teams left on the NFC side. We’re one of those. We have home field advantage,” he said after practice Tuesday. “It’s a special opportunity. But we’re not going to make it bigger than it is. We’ve come this far by being balanced and not riding an emotional rollercoaster. That’s exactly how we’re going to continue.”

There are also two aspects that work in the 38-year-old’s favour. Rodgers likes playing in cold temperatures. According to the weather forecast, it’s predicted to be as low as minus twelve degrees on Saturday night. Temperatures that 49ers quarterback Garoppolo is absolutely not used to.

Jimmy G has NEVER played in a game less than 40 degrees (F)

By contrast, Aaron Rodgers in games less than 40 degrees:
– 14,549 passing yards
– 124 touchdowns
– 20 interceptions

Advantage: Packers✅ GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/E8iJ7V8xRv

– IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) January 19, 2022

In addition, the fans are likely to be a deciding factor. Lambeau Field will once again be completely sold out on Saturday – last year only a limited number of spectators were allowed into the stadium.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity, the leadership on our team, the guys coming back and the full stadium,” Rodgers explained. “I’m hoping for a loud crowd!”