Oh look, it’s the San Francisco 49ers again.
When the Green Bay Packers meet the 49ers on Sunday, it will mark the latest in a long string of compelling matchups between the two franchises and, of course, the first time since the teams met in Santa Clara earlier this calendar year in the divisional round of the 2023 playoffs.
The past five playoff meetings have gone to San Francisco, but there’s a rich history; the teams’ 10th meeting in the playoffs was the most between any two franchises in the postseason, one better than the Packers-Cowboys, Cowboys-Rams and Cowboys-49ers.
The parallels between the two franchises are fairly evident. Both boasted consecutive Hall of Fame quarterbacks, with Steve Young taking over for Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers taking the reins from Brett Favre. Green Bay’s two recent Super Bowl victories also featured coaches with San Francisco ties.
Mike Holmgren was offensive coordinator for the 49ers and was part of two Super Bowl champions there before he led the Packers to a title as head coach in Super Bowl XXXI. Mike McCarthy was also offensive coordinator in San Francisco before becoming Packers head coach in 2006 and leading the Packers to a title in Super Bowl XLV.
When the 49ers were in the Super Bowl in early 2013, they were quarterbacked by Colin Kaepernick, a player born in Milwaukee. Rodgers, meanwhile, hails from Northern California and was famously bypassed by the 49ers with the first pick of the 2005 draft, when San Francisco chose Utah’s Alex Smith. Rodgers slid to No. 24, where the Packers found themselves with a franchise quarterback.
Are they in the process of doing something the 49ers couldn’t do, follow up back-to-back Hall of Famers with a third great quarterback? Jordan Love is making his case in his second year as starter.
Here are the 13 most-memorable clashes between the two powerhouses in the Super Bowl era. The Packers lead the season series 32-31, dating to 1950.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shake hands after the game at Levi’s Stadium.
13. Nov. 24, 2019: 49ers 37, Packers 8
What made this Sunday Night Football game compelling was that it represented the best combined record between the two teams in a head-to-head meeting; they boasted a combined 17-3 mark (.850 winning percentage), with the Packers 8-2 and 49ers at 9-1. But the game itself was a massive dud.
Coming off a bye, the Packers never had a chance. Rodgers was sacked and fumbled on the opening series, Tevin Coleman scored within the first 2 minutes, and Green Bay wound up down 23 points at halftime. Rodgers threw for just 104 yards, and Green Bay was outgained overall, 339-198.
Reggie White celebrates one of his three sacks against the 49ers Steve Young on Nov. 2, 1998, at Lambeau Field during a Packers win.
12. Nov. 1, 1998: Packers 36, 49ers 22
Green Bay moved to 6-2 on the season and dropped San Francisco to the same record. Antonio Freeman caught an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first snap of the game and later caught a 62-yard pass, as well. He finished with seven catches for 193 yards, and the Packers won big despite three Favre interceptions.
Chris Jacke connects on a 53-yard field goal in overtime to beat the San Francisco 49ers in 1996.
11. Oct. 14, 1996: Packers 23, 49ers 20
A preview of a playoff clash later in the year, the Packers won in overtime on Chris Jacke’s 53-yard field goal. Jacke also hit a 31-yarder with 8 seconds left to force OT in a back-and-forth game. Favre threw for 395 yards and Don Beebe had an insane day, catching 11 passes for 220 yards (including a 59-yard score).
Green Bay Packers safety Adrian Amos takes a knee in the end zone after a 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL divisional round playoff game on Jan. 22, 2022, at Lambeau Field.
10. Jan. 22, 2022: 49ers 13, Packers 10 (NFC divisional round)
Top-seeded Green Bay, led by the 2021 MVP Rodgers, never got a playoff run off the ground when San Francisco won the divisional-round playoff battle. Special teams made the difference; San Francisco blocked a punt and recovered in the end zone for its lone touchdown, and Robbie Gould kicked the game-winner through the uprights as time expired when the Packers only had 10 men on the field.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick out runs Green Bay Packers Mike Neal (96) while running for a touchdown during the first quarter of their divisional playoff game Saturday, January 12, 2013 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif.
9. Jan. 12, 2013: 49ers 45, Packers 31 (NFC divisional round)
The Packers were 11-5 that season, but this was the game that indicated they perhaps couldn’t topple a dual-threat quarterback like Kaepernick (who had not been under center when the two teams met to open the year; the aforementioned Smith was). Kaepernick threw for 263 yards and two scores but more importantly ran for a mind-boggling 181 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win for the 49ers (12-4-1).
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) completes a pass to running back Aaron Jones (33) during the second quarter of their NFC divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, January 20, 2024 at Levi’ Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
8. Jan. 20, 2024: 49ers 24, Packers 21 (NFC divisional round)
Jordan Love threw for two touchdowns but also two interceptions, and when Christian McCaffrey scored with 1:07 left on the clock, it tipped the scales in Santa Clara and sent the Packers home with another playoff loss at the hands of the 49ers. It nonetheless concluded an uplifting first season with Love as starting quarterback, with a playoff run that seemed to indicate the team would be poised for another step forward the following year.
8. Jan. 19, 2020: 49ers 37, Packers 20 (NFC championship)
It merits mention because of the stakes, but many Packers fans were concerned that Green Bay couldn’t match up with San Francisco after a blowout regular-season game earlier in the season. Those concerns were founded in reality.
The 49ers took a 27-0 lead at halftime, and though Rodgers threw for 326 yards, the defense had no answer for a dominant Raheem Mostert (220 yards, four touchdowns). Green Bay finished 13-3 in Matt LaFleur’s first regular season and one step away from the Super Bowl, but that’s where it ended. Instead, Matt’s brother, Mike (the 49ers passing game coordinator), advanced onward.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) does the Lambeau Leap near Stephen Pfeil (left), of Madison and Sean Sanchez of Denver, after Nelson scored in the second quarter of the 2014 playoff game against San Francisco.
6. Jan. 5, 2014: 49ers 23, Packers 20 (NFC wild-card round)
Nobody gave the Packers (8-8-1) much of a chance against the 49ers (13-4), even at home, but it did take a last-second field goal to put Green Bay away a week after the Packers’ remarkable win over the Bears for the division title. Kaepernick was a devastating dual threat, passing for 227 yards and rushing for 98. Green Bay took a 17-13 lead with 12:09 to go but couldn’t even enjoy the lead for 2 minutes when Kaepernick hit Vernon Davis for a 28-yard touchdown. Mason Crosby tied the game with 5:09 left on a field goal, but Green Bay never saw the ball again.
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Gibert Brown celebrates his sacking of quarterback Jeff Garcia in the first play of the game. The Green Bay Packers defeated San Francisco, 25-15, on Sunday, Jan. 13th, 2002, at Lambeau Field, in the first round of the playoffs.
5. Jan. 13, 2002: Packers 25, 49ers 15 (NFC wild-card round)
The Packers (13-4) welcomed San Francisco (12-5) to Lambeau Field for a playoff rematch a few years after the Terrell Owens debacle, and though Tai Streets caught a game-tying touchdown and 2-point conversion with 12 minutes to go, Ryan Longwell’s field goal and Ahman Green’s dagger touchdown with 1:55 to go advanced the Packers to the next round (where the Rams unceremoniously ended Green Bay’s season). The 49ers even fumbled the ensuing kickoff and never got another snap to work with. Freeman caught six passes for 84 yards and a score.
An emotional Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre hoists the George Halas Trophy after his team beat the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Janaury 11, 1998 at 3Com Park.
4. Jan. 11, 1998: Packers 23, 49ers 10 (NFC championship)
Green Bay (13-3) advanced to Super Bowl XXXII with a win on the road over San Francisco (13-3), getting three field goals from Longwell and touchdowns by Freeman and Dorsey Levens in a rainy mess at 3Com Park. San Francisco’s only touchdown came on a late 95-yard kickoff return by Chuck Levy.
Packers quarterback Brett Favre shows his delight after Edgar Bennett’s goal-line fumble was recovered by Antonio Freeman for a touchdown in the third quarter of the January 4 Divisional playoff win against San Francisco. The Packers defeated the 49ers that day, 35-14. January 29, 1997.
3. Jan. 4, 1997: Packers 35, 49ers 14 (NFC divisional round)
Everyone remembers Desmond Howard’s touchdown return in the Super Bowl, but does anyone remember his 71-yard punt return a few weeks earlier through the mud in the playoff opener? The eventual Super Bowl-champion Packers took a 21-0 lead, and Eugene Robinson grabbed two of Green Bay’s three interceptions. Edgar Bennett ran for two scores and would have had a third before fumbling in the end zone, but Freeman jumped on the ball to give the Packers a two-score lead late in the third quarter. It was a muddy mess, but a beautiful one.
Quarterback Brett Favre at the line of scrimmage on January 6, 1996.
2. Jan. 6, 1996: Packers 27, 49ers 17 (NFC divisional round)
Green Bay lost the next week in Dallas, but this could have been a watershed moment in its ascension to Super Bowl champion. The Packers (11-5) took a 21-0 lead on the road with Craig Newsome’s fumble return and touchdown passes to tight ends Keith Jackson and Mark Chmura. Both Jackson and Robert Brooks finished with more than 100 yards receiving, and Newsome also added an interception as the Packers forced four turnovers.
Green Bay Packers defensive back Darren Sharper can only watch after his hit didn’t stop 49ers Terrell Owens from scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter of their game Sunday, January 3, 1998 at 3Com Park in San Francisco, Calif.
More: Where do the Packers stand in the NFL playoff picture after beating the Bears?
1. Jan. 3, 1999: 49ers 30, Packers 27 (NFC wild-card round)
One of the great heartbreaks in Packers history. Owens caught a touchdown pass from Young with 8 seconds left after the Packers had taken a lead on a Freeman touchdown catch with 2 minutes to go. But the play that left Packers fans fuming was a 6-yard catch by Jerry Rice near midfield, where replays showed he lost a fumble (but referees ruled him down, and there was no video replay challenge system). Levens ran for 116 yards and a touchdown for the Packers, and Garrison Hearst ran for 128 for the 49ers.
Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a touchdown during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in the game at Levi’s Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Santa Clara, California.
Honorable mention
Dec. 1, 1968: 49ers 27, Packers 20. There were still two games to play, but the loss was a damaging one in the home stretch of a season that marked the official end of a three-year championship run that included an NFL title and two Super Bowls. The Packers were held to just 217 total yards and saw a 20-7 lead evaporate when the 49ers rattled off 20 fourth-quarter points.
Oct. 9, 1966: 49ers 21, Packers 20. One of two losses sustained in the first Super Bowl season. The Packers outgained the 49ers 368-248, but it wasn’t enough. The Packers won the rematch at home later in the year 20-7 on Dec. 4.
Sept. 28, 1969: Packers 14, 49ers 7. Jim Grabowski’s touchdown catch from Bart Starr in the fourth quarter provided the winning points.
Nov. 19, 1989: Packers 21, 49ers 17. The Packers landed an upset at Candlestick Park, dropping San Francisco to 9-2 and improving to 6-5. Don Majkowski passed for a touchdown and ran for another, and Green Bay prevailed despite Joe Montana passing for 325 yards and two scores.
Oct. 15, 2000: Packers 31, 49ers 28. The Packers took the ball with 5:20 left and battled down to the 49ers’ 17-yard line, where Longwell kicked the game-winning field goal with 54 seconds to go. Green scored twice and Freeman caught a 67-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter from Favre.
Dec. 15, 2002: Packers 20, 49ers 14. Green and Donald Driver scored third-quarter touchdowns to give the Packers the lead, but the 49ers drove down to the Green Bay 11 before Antuan Edwards broke up a fourth-down pass from Jeff Garcia.
Sept. 8, 2013: 49ers 34, Packers 28. For a second straight year, the season opener pitted these two teams against each other, and this one also ended in disappointment when the 49ers scored a go-ahead touchdown with 5:47 to go. Eddie Lacy had just given the Packers the lead when Kaepernick hit Anquan Boldin for a 43-yard gain to ultimately set up a short touchdown run. The Packers went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, punted with 5 minutes left from their own 16, and didn’t get the ball back until Phil Dawson had tacked on a field goal and 26 seconds remained. The Packers also lost the 2012 season opener against the 49ers on Sept. 9 of that year 30-22.
Oct. 15, 2018: Packers 33, 49ers 30. The Packers scored with 1:55 to go on Monday Night Football to tie the game when Davante Adams caught a 16-yard touchdown pass. Mason Crosby won it with a 27-yarder as time expired after Kevin King’s interception gave the Packers the ball back with 1:07 to go.
Sept. 26, 2021: Packers 30, 49ers 28. The 49ers took a lead with just 37 seconds left, but Rodgers swiftly led the Packers back down the field, with two big pass plays to Adams, and Crosby’s 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Editor’s note: A first version of this story appeared in 2019.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ranking 13 best games between Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers
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