The 10 Best Packers Players of All Time, Ranked

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The Green Bay Packers are one of the most decorated NFL franchises to date thanks to their dominance during the pre-1970 era of professional football. So, in order to make a top 10 greatest Packers list, we have to go way back in the history books to give credit to some of the team’s ground-breaking playmakers.

But that doesn’t mean some of Green Bay’s modern-era players didn’t make their marks as all-time great Packers as well.

Let’s look at the top 10 greatest Packers of all time, starting at No. 10.

10. Charles Woodson, CB

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson.

• Years as a Packer: 2006-2012
• Championships & awards:
  • 4-time First-Team All-Pro (2 with GB)
  • 9-time Pro Bowler (4 with GB)
  • Super Bowl champion (2011)
  • 2-time NFL interceptions leader
  • NFL Defensive Player of the Year
  • NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 1,220 tackles
  • 65 interceptions
  • 54 tackles for loss
  • 33 forced fumbles
  • 20 sacks
  • 11 pick-sixes
• Career postseason stats:
  • 76 tackles
  • 2 tackles for loss
  • 1 interception
  • 1 sack
  • 1 fumble recovery
• Iconic performance: November 15, 2009 vs. Dallas Cowboys
  • 9 tackles
  • 2 forced fumbles
  • 2 tackles for loss
  • 1 sack (strip-sack)

Charles Woodson’s impact in a Packers uniform makes him an all-time great for the organization despite not starting nor finishing his NFL career with the team. He had 38 interceptions and 9 pick-sixes during his time in Green Bay, and that’s just scratching the surface of clutch plays he made as a Packer. He was a turnover machine and one of the most feared secondary players in the NFL during the late 2000s/early 2010s.

9. Donald Driver, WR

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver.

• Years as a Packer: 1999-2012
• Championships & awards:
  • 4-time Pro Bowler
  • Super Bowl champion (2011)
• Career regular season stats:
  • 743 receptions
  • 10,137 yards
  • 61 touchdowns
• Career postseason stats:
  • 49 receptions
  • 675 yards
  • 3 touchdowns
• Iconic performance: November 12, 2006 @ Minnesota Vikings
  • 6 receptions
  • 191 yards
  • 1 touchdown

Donald Driver’s consistency over his 14-year career with the Packers puts him on this list. He had seven 1,000-yard seasons and is Green Bay’s all-time receiving yardage and receptions leader and is fifth all-time for the franchise in receiving touchdowns. He’s also only behind Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in games played (205) — an average of 14.6 games played per season — which speaks to his incredible durability.

8. Willie Davis, DE

Wikimedia CommonsGreen Bay Packers defensive lineman Willie Davis (left) during the 1967 Super Bowl.

• Years as a Packer: 1960-1969
• Championships & awards:
  • 5-time First-Team All Pro
  • 5-time Pro Bowler
  • 5-time NFL champion
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion
  • NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1981)
• Career regular season stats:
  • 99.5 sacks (unofficial)
  • 22 fumble recoveries
  • 2 touchdowns
• Career postseason stats:
  • 5.5 sacks
• Iconic performance: 1968 Super Bowl vs. Oakland Raiders
  • 3 sacks (unofficial)

Willie Davis is the unofficial all-time sack leader of the Packers and has the second-most fumble recoveries by a Green Bay defender all-time. His durability was evident in him playing in all of a possible 162 games during his 12-year professional career. His ferocity and playmaking ability inside the defensive interior created many problems for opposing offenses during the Packers’ dynasty run in the 1960s.

7. Ray Nitschke, LB

Wikimedia CommonsGreen Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke, circa 1966.

• Years as a Packer: 1958-1972
• Championships & awards:
  • 2-time First-Team All Pro
  • Pro Bowler (1964)
  • 5-time NFL champion
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion (1967, 1968)
  • NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
  • NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1978)
• Career regular season stats:
  • 25 interceptions
  • 23 fumble recoveries
  • 16 sacks

Ray Nitschke, who has the most fumble recoveries by a Green Bay defender in franchise history (23), was a ferocious middle linebacker that frequently sniffed the play out and punished any and all ball carriers and blockers that got in his way. He had a high motor and was an unquestioned defensive catalyst for the Packers during Green Bay’s dynasty run in the 1960s. As his Pro Football Hall of Fame bio puts it, Nitschke had all of the traits you look for in a linebacker: “strength, speed, quickness, toughness, and leadership.”

6. Forrest Gregg

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• Years as a Packer: 1956-1970
• Championships & awards:
  • 7-time First-Team All Pro
  • 9-time Pro Bowler
  • 5-time NFL champion
  • 3-time Super Bowl champion (1967, 1968, 1971)
  • NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
  • NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1977)

Forrest Gregg overcame his 6-foot-4, 249-pound frame by using his intellect to outmaneuver opposing pass rushers, which helped him become one of the greatest offensive tackles of his generation. When he retired, he held the league record for most consecutive games played (188) and was touted by then-Packers head coach Vince Lombardi as “the best player I have ever coached.”

5. Reggie White, DE

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White.

• Years as a Packer: 1993-1998
• Championships & awards:
  • 8-time First-Team All Pro (2 with GB)
  • 13-time Pro Bowler (6 with GB)
  • Super Bowl champion (1997)
  • 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1 with GB)
  • NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
  • NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
  • NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 1,111 tackles
  • 198 sacks
  • 175 tackles for loss
  • 33 forced fumbles
• Career postseason stats:
  • 18 tackles
  • 12 sacks
  • 1 safety
• Iconic performance: 1997 Super Bowl vs. New England Patriots
  • 3 sacks

Reggie White’s time with the Packers wasn’t long, but his impact was undoubtedly felt. His three sacks in the 1997 Super Bowl were the most in NFL history at that point, and he is second all-time in career sacks (198), which speaks to him being one of the most productive defenders in NFL history. Few NFL players have made an impact on the defensive side of the ball like White did, let alone those that donned a Packers jersey.

4. Don Hutson, LE

WikipediaDon Hutson.

• Years as a Packer: 1935-1945
• Championships & awards:
  • 8-time First-Team All Pro
  • 4-time Pro Bowler
  • 7-time NFL receiving yards leader
  • 8-time NFL receptions leader
  • 9-time NFL receiving touchdowns leader
  • 5-time NFL scoring leader
  • 3-time Super Bowl champion
  • 2-time NFL Most Valuable Player
  • NFL 1930s All-Decade Team
  • NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 488 receptions
  • 7,991 yards
  • 99 touchdowns
  • 30 interceptions
  • 172-of-183 PATs made
  • 7-of-17 field goals made
• Career postseason stats:
  • 10 receptions
  • 163 yards
  • 1 touchdown
  • 4-of-4 PATs made
• Iconic performance: October 7, 1945 vs. Detroit Lions
  • 6 receptions
  • 144 yards
  • 4 touchdowns
  • 7 PATs made

You name it, Don Hutson most likely did it on a football field. He is the all-time Packers receiving touchdowns leader and is fifth all-time for the franchise in receiving yards. Hutson played a large part in the team’s championship runs during the mid-to-late 1930s and mid-1940s. His 1942 season, in which he had 74 receptions, 1,211 yards and 17 touchdowns — all of which were NFL records at the time — showed how truly exceptional he was compared to his peers. Tack on the fact that he was effective as a kicker and defender as well, and it’s no surprise that Hutson made this list.

3. Bart Starr, QB

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr (left) and former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (right).

• Years as a Packer: 1956-1971
• Championships & awards:
  • First-Team All Pro (1966)
  • 4-time Pro Bowler
  • 4-time NFL passer rating leader
  • 4-time NFL completion percentage leader
  • 5-time NFL champion
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion (1967, 1968)
  • 2-time Super Bowl MVP
  • NFL Most Valuable Player (1966)
  • NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 24,718 passing yards
  • 152 touchdowns
  • 138 interceptions
  • 1,308 rushing yards
  • 15 rushing touchdowns
• Career postseason stats:
  • 1,753 passing yards
  • 15 touchdowns
  • 3 interceptions
• Iconic performance: January 1, 1967 NFC Championship vs. Dallas Cowboys
  • 304 passing yards
  • 4 touchdowns
  • 0 turnovers

Bart Starr dominated the NFL in the 1960s, as he won nine straight playoff games after losing in the first round of the playoffs during the 1960 season. His 9.0 adjusted yards gained per pass attempt during the postseason is still the best in NFL history, which is one of many examples of how he raised his level of play when it mattered the most.

2. Brett Favre, QB

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

• Years as a Packer: 1992-2007
• Championships & awards:
  • 3-time First-Team All Pro
  • 11-time Pro Bowler (9 with GB)
  • 4-time NFL passing touchdowns leader
  • 2-time NFL passing yards leader
  • Super Bowl champion (1997)
  • 3-time NFL Most Valuable Player
  • NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1995)
  • NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 71,838 passing yards
  • 508 touchdowns
  • 336 interceptions
  • 1,844 rushing yards
  • 14 rushing touchdowns
• Career postseason stats:
  • 5,855 passing yards
  • 44 touchdowns
  • 30 interceptions
• Iconic performance: 1997 Super Bowl vs. New England Patriots
  • 246 passing yards
  • 2 passing touchdowns
  • 12 rushing yards
  • 1 rushing touchdown
  • 0 turnovers

Brett Favre is the definition of “gunslinger.” He has the fourth most passing yards and passing touchdowns in NFL history, and he helped end a 29-year championship drought for the Packers when he guided them to a Super Bowl victory in 1997. Favre holds the NFL record for most consecutive starts at 297 — 321 if you count playoff games — which is truly exceptional when considering the number of injuries — some of which were substantial — during his time in Green Bay.

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

• Years as a Packer: 2005-2022
• Championships & awards:
  • 4-time First-Team All Pro
  • 10-time Pro Bowler
  • Super Bowl champion (2011)
  • Super Bowl MVP
  • 2-time NFL passing touchdowns leader
  • 4-time NFL MVP
  • NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
• Career regular season stats:
  • 56,679 passing yards
  • 480 touchdowns
  • 106 interceptions
  • 3,484 rushing yards
  • 35 rushing touchdowns
• Career postseason stats:
  • 5,894 passing yards
  • 45 touchdowns
  • 13 interceptions
  • 285 rushing yards
  • 4 rushing touchdowns
• Iconic performance: October  2, 2011 vs. Denver Broncos
  • 408 passing yards
  • 4 touchdowns
  • 36 rushing yards
  • 2 rushing touchdowns

Aaron Rodgers was the most efficient quarterback of all time during his tenure with the Packers. He has the lowest career interception percentage of all time (1.4%) among those who threw a minimum of 1,500 career pass attempts, and that’s while averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, which is tied for 14th highest of all time. As a player that was elite inside the pocket and on the run, there are very few quarterbacks that possess(ed) the arm talent and athleticism that Rodgers did while he was a Packer.

What do you think? Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments.