Green Bay Packers: Ranking the top 30 players in franchise history

1. Don Hutson, Wide Receiver, 1935-1945

For those thinking that one of the Packers’ legendary quarterbacks would be atop this list — I understand your thinking. Quarterback is the most marquee (and important) position in the NFL and throughout NFL history the Packers are known for their excellent signal callers and each have incredibly impacted the game. However, no player in Packers’ history, or NFL history, has ever impacted the game of professional football like Don Hutson. He turned the NFL into a passing league, he changed the way the game was played, and he helped build Green Bay into the historically successful franchise it is today.

Hutson was named First-Team All-Pro in an incredible eight consecutive seasons (to end his career) and was also named to four Pro Bowl squads. In 1941 and 1942 he won the equivalent of an MVP award as well. He helped lead the Packers to three World Championships and was the most exciting player in the game in those years. However, it was his dominance over his peers at the wide receiver position (called ‘end’ back then) that is truly amazing.

Nine times he led the league in touchdown receptions (an NFL record) and seven times he led the NFL in receiving yards (Jerry Rice accomplished that feat six times). Eight times he led the league in receptions and he scored an incredible 105 touchdowns in his career (the most in Packers’ history). It is because of him that the NFL of today is played as we’ve come to enjoy it and no player in Green Bay history has ever been more consistently dominant. Because of this, no other player will ever wear the No. 14 in Green Bay as it has been retired forever.

Hutson truly is the single greatest player in the history of the Green Bay Packers. He is routinely credited with creating many of football’s pass routes that are still commonly used today. His 11-year career was spent entirely in Green Bay and he was a member of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class in 1963. The Packers practice indoor at the Don Hutson Center to this day to honor his amazing contributions to the organization. Hats off to the greatest player in franchise history, the unparalleled and revolutionary “Alabama Antelope” — the pride of the Green Bay Packers.

Thanks for going on this journey through the history of the Green Bay Packers’ all-time greatest players with me! I hope you enjoyed the list and I’d love to hear your thoughts as to where you would put certain players in this ranking.

Here’s to another wonderful year of being a passionate NFL fan, is there anything better?

Next: All 32 NFL Franchises Ranked By All-Time Greatness: Guess Which Team Is No. 1?

1. Don Hutson, Wide Receiver, 1935-1945

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