The Green Bay Packers have a long history of greatness in the NFL. They hold the record for most franchise wins, a record they stole from their rivals, the Chicago Bears, last season. This makes a list like this very hard. Many great players have come through Green Bay and narrowing them down to a list can be difficult. However, after combing through history with a fine-tooth comb, here are the top five greatest players in Green Bay Packers history.
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Former PAckers QB Aaron Rodgers (12) – Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
#5: QB Aaron Rodgers
I know a lot of Packers fans may not be very happy with Rodgers right now but it is impossible to deny how great he has been for the franchise. He delivered a Super Bowl in 2010 and while he never made it back, I do not think it was all Rodgers’ fault. He has engineered some truly iconic moments for the Packers as well as the stats to back it up.
He won the MVP award four times as a Packer and threw for 475 touchdowns versus just 105 interceptions in his time in Green Bay. Pair this with the dominance against the rivals in the NFC North, and it is easy to put Rodgers as number five on the list.
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Former Packers DE Reggie White (92) – Peter Brouillet/US PRESSWIRE
#4: DE Reggie White
White only played six seasons for the Green Bay Packers, but they were all memorable. He was an All-Pro in all six seasons and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1998. While Brett Favre will get all of the love from the Super Bowl win against New England in 1997, White had a huge game as well. White had three sacks in the championship game—a truly dominant performance. In just six seasons, he racked up 68.5 sacks meaning he averaged double-digit sacks in his time in Green Bay. He dominated in his time with Green Bay Packers and is in the Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame.
#3: MLB Ray Nitschke
There is a reason that the Super Bowl trophy is named after the legendary coach Vince Lombardi. He knew how to coach a winning team. Nitschke was the face of the defense in the Lombardi era. He was an All-Pro six times and Nitschke was also MVP of the 1962 NFL championship game against the Giants. He played on a total of five championship teams. How big of a deal is Nitschke for the Green Bay Packers organization? One of their practice fields is named after him. A true Packers legend.
Former Packers QB Bart Starr (15) – Bettmann via Getty Images
#2: QB Bart Starr
Starr was the leader of the offenses in the Lombardi era and an NFL legend. He won five championships as a quarterback including two Super Bowls where he was named MVP in both games. He won one league MVP and led the NFL in passing three times. He is probably most known for his quarterback sneak with 13 seconds remaining in the Ice Bowl versus the Dallas Cowboys. Starr played 196 games as a Packer and also coached the team from 1975-83. It is impossible to talk about Green Bay Packers history without mentioning Bart Starr.
Former Packers WR Don Hutson (14) – AP/Robert Walsh
#1: WR Don Hutson
If you haven’t heard of Don Hutson you are missing out on one of the greatest players ever. He was absolutely dominant in his position. At the time of his retirement, he held 18 NFL records. He held the all-time record for touchdown receptions (99) until 1989 when Steve Largent broke it. What made Hutson truly special was that he played both sides of the ball which was common at the time. As a defensive back, he had 30 career interceptions.
Still not impressed? Hutson also was a kicker who had seven career field goals and 172 extra points made. He was a do-it-all player which you will never see in today’s game. Hutson not only is the greatest Green Bay Packers player of all time but is one of the great players in NFL history.
Honorable Mention Green Bay Packers
Brett Favre is another player that narrowly missed the list for me. His recent legal trouble has caused me to leave him off of these types of lists in favor of others. LeRoy Butler was the inventor of the Lambeau Leap which still continues today. Jerry Kramer was a stalwart offensive lineman for years and Sterling Sharpe was a dominant receiver before injuries took away his career. There are so many Green Bay Packers that deserve to be on this list. The history runs deep making this franchise one of the most fascinating to dive into.
