Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have had several memorable NFL playoff matchups with the Green Bay Packers over the years, but one was much colder than the rest.
So when San Francisco and Green Bay faced off at Lambeau Field in the 2021 NFC divisional round, the 49ers coach was adequately prepared for all of the snow in the now-iconic 13-10 comeback victory.
"We went up there. I remember it being freezing," Shanahan told Greg Papa on the latest episode of NBC Sports Bay Area's "49ers Game Plan." "That was the first game I've worn a wetsuit before, a wetsuit under all my clothes to try to stay warm. And I can't tell you how big of a pain that was trying to go to the bathroom at halftime."
Perhaps Shanahan's interesting undergarment choice was a good luck charm, as the No. 7-seeded San Francisco squad defeated a top-seeded Green Bay team thanks largely in part to a blocked Packers punt that the 49ers returned for a game-tying touchdown.
"That was special teams," Shanahan continued. "You know, that game was so cold and not much was going on on either side of the ball ... We had a blocked punt where [Talanoa Hufanga] ended up scoring and really won us the game. And that was big time."
PUNT IS BLOCKED, GAME IS TIED 😱pic.twitter.com/1zj05F27oY
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 23, 2022
The 49ers have defeated the Packers in three consecutive playoff meetings, including the aforementioned game, a 37-19 victory in the 2019 NFC Championship Game and a 24-21 nail-biter in the divisional round last season.
San Francisco 49ers
While Packers quarterback Jordan Love has stated Green Bay is out for revenge when the two conference rivals meet in Week 12 on Sunday at Lambeau Field, the 49ers can be expected to give the game their all with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
And with daytime temperatures in Green Bay expected to be in the mid-40s, it looks like Shanahan won't need his wetsuit this year.
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