San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley was with the team during its last playoff run. It was a season that ended just short of a championship.
The veteran offensive lineman hopes this postseason run will be different. As he enters the tail end of his playing career, Staley wants another shot at a Super Bowl, and this team is the best he's been a part of since that last appearance.
San Francisco enters the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. That means two wins at Levi's Stadium and the 49ers are back where they were seven years ago — fighting for a sixth Lombardi trophy. Just the thought of this season's potential and finally winning in Seattle for the first time since 2011 made Staley emotional.
"I was super emotional after that game," Staley told NBC Sports Bay Area after the 49ers' 26-21 win at CenturyLink Field. "It's been a long time. I haven't won here since 2011. In a big game, we were very focused all week, and still, it was a close game. I mean, it came down to one yard, one inch at the end.
"We were on the other side of that coin earlier this year against Atlanta (Falcons), and it was a hell of a play. I don't even know who made that play (it was Dre Greenlaw). Honestly, I just saw that he stopped it, and it was unbelievable.
"It was crazy. I cried after the game. It was wild."
Staley went on to say that the 49ers are excited for the opportunity to play more games in front of the Niner Faithful at Levi's Stadium, and he's anxious to see how the fans show up for the playoffs.
Having the first round of the postseason off is important for some ailing players who can now use the time to get their bodies right.
"This is a hard place to win," Staley continued. "I was overcome with emotion on the field. I sprinted into the tunnel because I started getting choked up."
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was well-aware of Staley's emotional state after the game and even joked that describing the veteran tackle as "a little emotional" was not sufficient.
"It was a big win for a lot of people," Garoppolo continued, "but Joe's been here through the ups and downs, and everything in between. Just for him to get that, especially to do it here in Seattle, it was a big one for him, and a big one for all of us. But I'm really happy for him individually."
