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Winners of four Super Bowls, the Green Bay Packers are one of the most illustrious franchises in the history of football. There’s something to be said about the talent coming from this group. You don’t get your run-of-the-mill athletes with a few good years. These are Hall-of-Fame types. Here are the top 10 players to don a Green Bay uniform…
10. Charles Woodson
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Despite not joining Green Bay until he was 30, Charles Woodson made a massive impact on the franchise. An All-Pro corner at the age of 23 with the Oakland Raiders, Woodson’s career stalled out a bit after a hot start. Following four straight Pro Bowl seasons to begin his career, Woodson failed to reach the Pro Bowl in his final four years with the Raiders. However, he instantly rediscovered his form with the Packers. The Hall of Famer intercepted a then-career-high eight interceptions in his first season with the team and picked off seven more passes in Year 3 en route to being named a Second-Team All-Pro.
In 2009, Woodson led the NFL with nine interceptions and three pick-sixes. His incredible performance for the Super Bowl champs resulted in him being named the Defensive Player of the Year. As a 35-year-old in 2011, Woodson once again led the league with seven INTs. In seven seasons with Green Bay, Woodson snagged 38 INTs (nine pick-sixes) and made four All-Pro teams.
9. Forrest Gregg
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Unless you are a diehard Packers fan or an NFL junkie, the name Forrest Gregg may not ring a bell. However, the Hall of Famer is arguably the best player to ever play his position. A 15-year pro, Gregg made a name for himself at right tackle. While manning the position for the Pack, Gregg was a six-time First-Team All-Pro. In 1965, Gregg shifted inside to play right guard due to injuries within the line and he was sensational — earning All-Pro honors yet again. From 1956-1970, Gregg won five NFL Championships and two Super Bowls with Green Bay.
8. Bart Starr
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Bart Starr may have the most Super Bowl victories of any quarterback in franchise history, but he is firmly the third-best QB. A 17th-round pick out of Alabama in 1956, Starr came into his own by 1961. Starr led the Pack to back-to-back NFL Championships and compiled a 24-4 record between 1961-62. The legend would spearhead a three-peat from 1965-67 which included being named MVP in ’66. Famously, Starr also led Green Bay to victory in both Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II — and earned MVP honors in both years. Green Bay’s icon finished his career with 152 TDs, 138 INTs, and a 57.4 completion percentage.
7. Reggie White
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The only thing keeping White from being higher on this list is his limited time with the franchise. One of the greatest defensive players of all time, White ranks second in NFL history with 198.0 sacks. He joined the Packers in 1993 after eight prolific seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. The dominant edge rusher was a Packer through the 1998 season. His first year with the franchise ended with a runner-up finish for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. White finished third for the award in ’95, helped lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl triumph in ’96 — punctuated by a game-ending sack — and won his second DPoY Award in ’98 at the age of 37. During his stay in Green Bay, White registered 68.5 sacks and was an All-Pro every season.
6. Davante Adams
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Green Bay has had some truly legendary players lace up their cleats throughout franchise history, and Davante Adams is one of the most recent stars to do so. Drafted in 2013 out of Fresno State, Adams quickly became one of the league’s elite receivers. As a third-year wideout, Adams scored 12 touchdowns. After adding 10 more TDs in 2017, Adams truly became a Green Bay legend over the next few seasons. In ’18, Adams caught 111 passes for 1,386 yards and 13 TDs. Two years later, he led the NFL with 18 TDs…and had 115 receptions for 1,374 yards. In ’21, his final year with the team, Adams set career highs with 123 receptions and 1,553 yards. Overall, Adams ranks second in franchise history with 73 receiving TDs.
5. Herb Adderley
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Defense wins championships. In the 1960s, Herb Adderley was a driving force behind Green Bay’s dynasty. The legendary cornerback was a shutdown corner. Adderley possessed great speed and was also a hard-hitter. Starting with his second year in the NFL, Adderley was named an All-Pro six years in a row. From 1962-69, the Hall of Famer intercepted 38 passes, forced eight fumbles, and had 13 fumble recoveries. Additionally, Adderley was a great kick-returner — he averaged 25.7 yards per return during his career. A five-time NFL Champion and two-time Super Bowl winner with the Pack, Adderley famously recorded the first pick-six in Super Bowl history. In Super Bowl II, Adderley’s fourth-quarter pick-six gave Green Bay a 33-7 lead over the Raiders.
4. Willie Wood
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Joining Adderley in the defensive backfield was Willie Wood. After spending his college days at Southern Cal, Wood was undrafted. He became a full-time starter in his second season (1961) and soon established himself as one of the best safeties in the NFL. Wood was named an All-Pro in Year 3 and led the league with nine interceptions. Wood was a First-Team All-Pro four years in a row from 1964-67 and won five NFL Championships and two Super Bowls with the Pack. In Super Bowl I, Wood intercepted Kansas City’s Len Dawson and returned the ball 50 yards. Wood’s 48 INTs rank second in franchise history — four behind Bobby Dillon.
3. Don Hutson
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When Don Hutson was playing for the Packers, he was considered the greatest wide receiver in NFL history. In an era when running the ball was the preferred method of attack, Hutson revolutionized his position. Hutson led the league in receptions eight times and paced the league in receiving yards on seven occasions. In 1942, Hutson caught 74 passes for 1,211 yards and 17 TDs in just 11 games. Hutson retired after 11 seasons — he accumulated 7,991 yards and 99 TDs. The MVP Award didn’t exist at the time, but Hutson won the Joe F. Carr Award — the equivalent of an MVP award — twice.
2. Brett Favre
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Green Bay fans were blessed with witnessing Hall of Fame play at quarterback for nearly 30 years in a row. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, Favre was traded to Green Bay in 1992 after one year in Atlanta. Favre was named a Pro Bowler in his first two years with the Packers, but Year 3 represented his rise into stardom. In ’94, Favre threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 TDs — and that was just a taste of what was to come. From ’95-97, Favre won three-straight MVP Awards while leading the league in passing TDs each season. During that stretch, Favre threw for 12,179 yards and 112 TDs. He ultimately led Green Bay to a Super Bowl victory in ’96. In 16 years with the Packers, Favre threw for a franchise-record 61,655 yards and a then-record 442 TDs. Of course, he would leave town to make way for the No. 1 player in franchise history…
1. Aaron Rodgers
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Aaron Rodgers. Love him or hate him, you have to appreciate his greatness. After an accomplished tenure at Cal, Rodgers spent three years on the bench as Brett Favre continued to lead the charge. In 2008, Favre was jettisoned so Rodgers could have his opportunity to lead the team. In Year 1, Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards and 28 TDs. Two years later, Rodgers led Green Bay to a Super Bowl victory over the Steelers — Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three TDs. Overall, Rodgers won four MVPs and put together a few of the greatest seasons any QB has had in NFL history. In 2011, Rodgers went 14-1 as the starter and threw for 4,643 yards with 45 TDs and only six INTs. As a 37-year-old in ’20, Rodgers led the league with 48 TDs and threw just five INTs. While Favre was a gunslinger who struggled with interceptions, Rodgers was an assassin who rarely turned the ball over. From 2011-21, Rodgers finished each year with fewer than nine interceptions. In 15 years as QB1, Rodgers threw for over 58,000 yards, 474 TDs, and 104 INTs.
