A rear discharge mower deck has at least two cutting blades mounted on vertical spindles in cutting chambers, a fan in a housing mounted on the deck over the cutting chambers, and an inlet opening between the cutting chambers and the fan housing. The surface area of the inlet opening may be between about 50% and about 80% of the surface area within the fan diameter. A stripper plate may be on one edge of the inlet opening, and each cutting chamber may have an upwardly sloping tunnel to the inlet opening.
