Aaron Rodgersmay have won just one Super Bowl ring in 2011, but he came very close to winning a second nearly a decade later. Back in 2020, the quarterback was on a mission to lead theGreen Bay Packersto their fifth championship, but a certain running back blocked his path by leading theSan Francisco 49ersto a 37-20 victory over the Packers in the 2020 NFC Championship Game. Now, years later,Aaron Rodgerscontinues to give the now-Raiders RB crap about it.
"Me and A-Rod, we are actually good buddies,"Raheem Mostertsaid on the latest episode of the4th and Southpodcast. "He comes down here, and we hang out. Me, him,Jordan Poyer, we're all good friends. So, last year, it was his birthday. We got to celebrate on the boat. And he still talks about it to this day. He's like, 'I can't stand you. You took me out of winning another Super Bowl.'"
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"So, he just gives me crap all the time. And I'm like, 'Bro, I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you.'"
Aaron Rodgers had already cemented his legacy inGreen Baywhen he led the Packers to a 31–25 win over thePittsburgh Steelersin Super Bowl XLV. During that game, Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns to earn Super Bowl MVP honors. Nearly a decade later, Rodgers looked poised to chase that glory again.
The Packers finished the 2019 regular season with a 13–3 record and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. It looked like the season Rodgers could add a second Super Bowl title to his résumé.
But when the Packers reached the NFC Championship Game,Raheem Mostert completely changed the script. During the 2019 regular season, Mostert had already proven his value by leading the 49ers with 772 rushing yards on 137 carries. But in the NFC Championship Game, Mostert delivered the performance of his career.
October 11, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert (31) is tackled by Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (25) and strong safety Bobby McCain (28) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
The RB rushed for a staggering 220 yards and scored 4 TDs, overwhelming the Packers' defense. Mostert set the tone early, breaking free for a 36-yard touchdown in the first quarter before adding two more scores from 9 and 18 yards out in the second, completely overwhelming the Packers' defense. By halftime, Mostert had already racked up 160 rushing yards, and Green Bay's defense had no answer.
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Then came the third quarter, when Mostert sealed the game with a 22-yard touchdown run. Even after moving to other NFL teams in later years, Mostert's performance in that game clearly left an impression on Rodgers.
NFL fans saw another reminder of it in 2023 during the in-season edition of HBO's Hard Knocks series. After theMiami Dolphinsdefeated theNew York Jets34–13, cameras captured Rodgers approaching Mostert on the field. Rodgers playfully shoved the RB and joked that he was "still mad about a few years ago."
At the time, Mostert laughed and told Rodgers to "let it go." But even years later, Rodgers apparently hasn't forgotten that painful night inSan Francisco.
Was Mostert the only reason for the end of Rodgers' second Super Bowl run?
While Raheem Mostert's performance in the 2020 NFC Championship Game was the highlight, the outcome of the game involved far more than one player. Aaron Rodgers finished the 2019 regular season with 4,002 passing yards, 26 TDs, and just four interceptions to make the Packers look like Super Bowl contenders. But his performance wasn't good enough against a Niners defense that allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL that year.
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"That's one of the best to ever do it," 49ers linebackerFred Warnersaid in the post-game interview while talking about Rodgers. "He kept his team in the game. Much respect to Aaron and the Packers. They had an outstanding season, but I think we out-executed them today."
In that game, Aaron Rodgers completed 31 of 39 passes for 326 yards and two TDs and two INTs. The Niners' defense put up a solid front against Rodgers from the beginning. On Green Bay's second drive, 49ers defensive linemanNick Bosasacked Rodgers for a 13-yard loss. From there, the pressure only intensified on Rodgers.
By halftime, the Packers had fallen into a massive 27-point deficit. And Rodgers couldn't lead a touchdown drive until the third quarter. The 49ers' defense also created multiple turnovers by forcing Rodgers to fumble three times and intercepting him twice.
In the second quarter, 49ers cornerbackEmmanuel Moseleyfirst intercepted Rodgers and returned the ball to Green Bay's 30-yard line. Later in the game, with just 1:48 remaining, 49ers cornerbackRichard Shermanintercepted Rodgers' final pass to seal the victory.
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Green Bay also struggled to establish any consistency on the ground, managing just 62 rushing yards with 3.9 yards per carry on average. Meanwhile, Raheem Mostert continued to slice through the Packers' defense, finding running lanes, breaking tackles, and controlling the clock to help the Niners protect their lead. Ultimately, the 49ers dominated in nearly every phase of that game to book their ticket to the Super Bowl.
