SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Aaron Rodgers stood three yards behind the line of scrimmage, hands on his hips, watching his Super Bowl ambitions turn to dust.
The 36-year-old quarterback had driven the Packers inside the 49ers' 30-yard line, hoping to make their 17-0 second-quarter deficit more manageable. But Rodgers couldn't handle a snap from center Corey Lindsey. He watched the ensuing fray from afar, then slowly walked off the field once it became clear San Francisco lineman DeForest Buckner had jumped on the loose ball.
Green Bay never got close after that moment, part of its 37-20 loss in the NFC championship game.
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The Packers want to believe they'll advance deep into the playoffs again next year. But Rodgers, once considered a lock for several Super Bowl appearances, is short on time. Preventable mistakes — a fumble and two interceptions — were particularly gutting for the signal-caller.
"It definitely hurts a little more than earlier in the career just because you realize how difficult it is to get to this spot," Rodgers said. "I don't have the same number of years ahead of me as I do behind me."
The Packers under first-year coach Matt LaFleur enjoyed their best season since 2016. They went 13-3 in the regular season behind an improved defense and ambushed the Seahawks in the divisional round. Rodgers threw 30 touchdown passes to six interceptions, playoffs included.
He'll be back next year. Breakout running back Aaron Jones will be back too, as will receiver Davante Adams — potentially with more deep threats around him, as Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard enter their third year in the league. There will be cap room, and draft picks to fortify the roster further.
Jones was among the most optimistic Packers players after Sunday's defeat, confident the returning cast will be sufficient to return to this spot in 2021. Rodgers feels another year under LaFleur will help, too, with the coach's preferred tempo implemented from Week 1.
"When you have people like this next to you, you're ready to go to war with them," Jones said. "I love every single one of these guys. ... Our future looks very bright here, and I'm excited to be part of it."
Several veterans, though, expressed trepidation — and outward frustration — at the challenge of regrouping and knifing through the NFC again. After Green Bay reached the NFC championship game in 2016, it missed the playoffs entirely in 2017 and 2018.
"It's hard to come back to these games," said cornerback Tramon Williams. "I've been to four NFC championship games in 14 years."
Said Adams: "You either get the trophy or you don't. As far as we've come and as much as we've done, it sucks to come up short."
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Rodgers at times showed his age Sunday. He had those three turnovers and totaled just 64 first-half passing yards. But he also showed his enduring skill in other moments, leading three scoring drives in the second half as part of his vintage desperation-mode groove.
As with other great passers in their final years, Rodgers will likely see increasing support from the rest of his team moving forward. Yet despite his remaining talent, he doesn't appear to be the same player as the one who won Super Bowl 45 at age 27. He isn't hiding from that, or pretending his third NFC championship loss in six seasons doesn't sting a little extra.
Still, Rodgers is hopeful he can still secure an elusive second Super Bowl ring before retirement. He has said repeatedly that football became fun again for him in 2019. There's no reason for him to surrender, even if he now recognizes his own mortality.
"The execution and the moving pieces (of the offense) will continue to improve," Rodgers said. "The window is open, and I think we'll be on the right side of ... things real soon."