The Green Bay Packers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC championship game Sunday, and it’s a chance for Aaron Rodgers to reach the Super Bowl for the second time.
Rodgers was asked in his weekly press conference Wednesday whether that fifth NFC championship appearances adds any extra pressure to the moment.
“No more pressure than usual,” Rodgers said. “I think a lot of times those storylines, pressure and those kinds of comments are good stuff for you to guys to write about. I think it starts with mentality and focus. Obviously, I put pressure on myself every week to perform.”
Rodgers has enjoyed postseason success through 13 seasons as the Packers’ starter. The matchup against Tampa Bay is his 20th playoff start. Sporting News takes a closer look at that playoff track record.
Aaron Rodgers’ playoff record
Rodgers is 11-8 as a starter in the postseason. The 11 wins are tied with former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman (11-4) and Roger Staubach (11-6).
Four of Rodgers’ playoff losses were in games that went to overtime, and in three of those losses the Packers did not have an offensive possession.
Only seven quarterbacks have more playoff wins. Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady (32-11) — Rodgers’ opponent Sunday – leads that list by a wide margin. Joe Montana (16-7), Terry Bradshaw (14-5), John Elway (14-7), Peyton Manning (14-13), Ben Roethlisberger (13-9) and Brett Favre (13-11) also have more playoff victories.
Has Aaron Rodgers won a Super Bowl?
Rodgers is 1-0 in the Super Bowl. He led Green Bay to a 31-25 victory against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011. Rodgers won Super Bowl MVP honors. He finished 24 of 39 passing for 309 yards and three TDs.
Aaron Rodgers’ postseason stats
Rodgers has a 64.3 completion percentage in 19 playoff starts. He averages 280.2 passing yards per game and has totaled 42 TDs with 12 interceptions in those games.
Rodgers’ playoff record by round
Rodgers is 4-2 in the wild-card round for his career. He’s also 5-3 in the divisional playoff round, with the latest victory a 32-18 win against the Rams in the NFC divisional playoffs last week.
Rodgers is 1-3 in the NFC championship, however, heading into that fourth matchup.
Aaron Rodgers in NFC championship games
Rodgers is 1-3 in NFC championship games. This marks Rodgers’ fifth appearance in the NFC championship game. He is one of 12 quarterbacks to appear in at least five conference championship games.
Rodgers led the Packers to a 21-14 victory against the Bears in his first NFC championship appearance on Jan. 23, 2011.
Green Bay has made three NFC championship appearances since. The Packers lost 28-22 to Seattle on Jan. 18, 2015 – a game in which the Seahawks trailed 19-7 with 5:04 remaining before a legendary comeback.
The Packers lost 44-21 to Atlanta on Jan. 22, 2017; and San Francisco beat Green Bay 37-20 on Jan. 19, 2020.
The difference? All of those games were on the road. Sunday marks the first time that Rodgers will start in the NFC championship game at Lambeau Field.
Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field
Rodgers is 5-2 in the playoffs at Lambeau Field. Rodgers is 75-18-1 as a starter in the regular season at home.
The Packers clinched NFL championships at home in 1939, 1961, 1965 and 1967 before the NFL-AFL merger. Green Bay won its last NFC championship at Lambeau Field on Jan. 12, 1997 with a 30-13 victory against Carolina.
The Packers lost their last NFC championship game at Lambeau Field on Jan. 20, 2008. The Giants beat the Packers 23-20 in Favre’s last game with the Packers. Rodgers took over as the starter the following season.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady
To get back to the Super Bowl, Rodgers will have to go through Brady, who has 14 conference championship appearances, nine Super Bowl appearances and six Super Bowl championships.
Brady is 2-1 in head-to-head matchups against Rodgers, including Tampa Bay’s 38-10 victory in Week 6.
Davante Adams, who is Rodgers’ leading receiver with the Packers, knows that’s the narrative this week. From Ryan Wood via the Green Bay Press-Gazette:
It’s safe to say the Packers are doing everything they can to take the pressure off Rodgers in his latest NFC championship start.