If you walk into any bar in Oshkosh or a tailgate at Lambeau, the ghost of 2011 is always there. Honestly, it feels like it happened yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once. We’re talking about Green Bay Packers last Super Bowl victory, a night in North Texas that basically cemented a legacy while simultaneously breaking the hearts of everyone in Pittsburgh.
Most people remember the confetti. They remember Aaron Rodgers holding that MVP trophy. But if you actually sit down and rewatch Super Bowl XLV, the narrative isn't nearly as clean as the history books make it look. It was messy. It was stressful. And for a good chunk of the second half, it felt like the Packers were actively trying to let it slip away.
The Night the Lombardi Returned to 1265 Lombardi Avenue
February 6, 2011. Cowboys Stadium.
The Packers weren't even supposed to be there, technically. They were a six-seed. No six-seed in the NFC had ever gone the distance before. They spent the entire month of January living out of suitcases, winning three straight road games in Philly, Atlanta, and Chicago. By the time they hit the turf in Arlington, they were playing with house money.
The game started like a dream.
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Rodgers was surgical. That's the only word for it. He finished with 304 yards and three touchdowns, but those stats don't tell you about the zip on the ball. He was threading needles against a Pittsburgh defense that featured Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. You've gotta remember, that Steelers defense was terrifying back then. They hit hard. They didn't care about your feelings.
The Turnovers That Changed Everything
You can't talk about Green Bay Packers last Super Bowl without talking about the takeaways. Basically, the Packers scored 21 points off of Pittsburgh's mistakes.
- The Nick Collins Pick-Six: This is the iconic image. Howard Green (a guy the Packers picked up mid-season) hit Ben Roethlisberger’s arm as he threw. The ball fluttered like a wounded duck. Nick Collins snatched it and took it 37 yards to the house. The celebration—where he went to his knees—actually cost them a 15-yard penalty, but nobody cared. It was 14-0.
- The Jarrett Bush Interception: Just when the Steelers were clawing back, Roethlisberger threw a ball into double coverage. Bush, a guy who mostly played special teams and got a lot of heat from fans, made the play of his life.
- The Mendenhall Fumble: This was the backbreaker. Start of the fourth quarter. Steelers are down 21-17 and driving. Rashard Mendenhall takes a handoff, and Clay Matthews—with his long blonde hair flying—meets him in the hole. Matthews "spilled" the play, the ball popped out, and Desmond Bishop fell on it.
If those three plays don't happen, the Packers probably lose. Honestly. Pittsburgh outgained Green Bay in several categories, but you can't give a Rodgers-led offense three extra possessions and expect to survive.
The Jordy Nelson Factor
Everyone talks about Greg Jennings catching two touchdowns, but Jordy Nelson was the real engine that night. He had 140 yards on nine catches.
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It was a weird performance, though. Nelson had at least three massive drops that could have put the game away early. He'd catch a 29-yard laser for a touchdown and then drop a wide-open slant three plays later. It was maddening to watch. But when it mattered, especially on that final drive to set up Mason Crosby’s field goal, Nelson was the guy Rodgers looked for.
Jennings was great too. His 31-yard catch on 3rd-and-10 late in the game is one of the most underrated throws in Super Bowl history. It was a "seam" route, and Rodgers put it in a spot where only Jennings could get it. If he misses that throw, Pittsburgh gets the ball back with plenty of time to win it.
Why It Still Matters Today
The Green Bay Packers last Super Bowl is shrouded in a bit of "what if" melancholy now. Back in 2011, we all thought this was the start of a dynasty. Rodgers was 27. The roster was deep. Mike McCarthy looked like a genius.
But it never happened again.
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They got close. They had the 15-1 season. They had the meltdown in Seattle. They had the heartbreaking losses to San Francisco. But that night in Texas remains the peak of the Rodgers era.
It’s also a reminder of how thin the margins are. The Packers lost Charles Woodson (broken collarbone) and Donald Driver (ankle) in the first half of that game. They were playing with backups in the secondary and a decimated receiving corps. It took a Herculean effort from guys like Frank Zombo and Charlie Peprah to hold the line.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Fan
If you're looking to relive the magic or understand why this team is so obsessed with "getting back," here is what you should do:
- Watch the "Sound FX" version of the game. Hearing Clay Matthews tell Howard Green "it's time" right before the Mendenhall fumble is legendary.
- Look at the injury report from that year. The 2010 Packers had 15 players on Injured Reserve. It’s a masterclass in roster depth that modern GMs still study.
- Study the 3rd-down conversions. Green Bay was 6-of-13 on third down, often in long-yardage situations. It shows how much pressure was on Rodgers to be perfect because the running game (James Starks) was just "okay."
The 31-25 victory wasn't just a win; it was the culmination of the most improbable run in franchise history. It’s the standard every Packers team is measured against now. Until they hoist a fifth Lombardi, the highlights of Super Bowl XLV will be the most played videos in the state of Wisconsin.
Stop waiting for the "perfect" season. The 2010 team proved that you just need to get in the dance and have a quarterback who can throw a football through a car window at 40 yards. That's the blueprint.