As one of the longest active franchises in NFL history, the Green Bay Packers have seen their fair share of football players walk through the door. Based in a town of 106,000 people and existing as a publicly-owned franchise, the small-town appeal of the Packers has attracted many fans both nationwide and worldwide. With the hardcore fandom of the team, the numerous Hall of Famers that have walked through, and the most championships in professional football history, there have been players who will forever stay in Packers fans’ hearts. In this article, I am power-ranking the top five biggest fan favorites in Green Bay Packers history.
For an idea of where this list is going, every player on this list has won a Super Bowl and has been a part of some of the best Packers teams in franchise history. You will notice two very notable omissions from the list — the two greatest players in franchise history, Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre. While both players were beloved while playing for the Packers, their subsequent exits and post-Packers careers (Favre, very much worse than Rodgers) have dropped them from this list. Anyway, let’s get into it.
Ranking the 5 Biggest Fan Favorites in Green Bay Packers History
5. Jordy Nelson, WR
Watching Aaron Rodgers connect with Jordy Nelson on those corner-post routes was some of the most fun I have ever had watching football. From 2011-16, there may not have been a better receiver in the NFL than Nelson. Disgustingly underrated in NFL history, Nelson finished his Packers career with 7,848 receiving yards and 69 touchdowns. Before Davante Adams filled the role, Nelson was the receiver that you always knew was going to make the big play when Rodgers needed it. As one of the most loved players in Packers history, it is only fitting that his coming out party helped Green Bay win its fourth Super Bowl, the only one in the 21st century.
Coming from humble beginnings as a farmer in Kansas, there wasn’t a harder worker in the NFL than Nelson. His reserved personality, partnered with his incredible talent and speed, helped to establish him in the hearts of every Packers fan across the globe.
4. Ray Nitschke, LB
Ray Nitschke was one mean football player. When you build an inside linebacker in a lab, it will probably resemble Nitschke. Big, strong and mean were just a few of the adjectives used to describe his play style. He was the only linebacker selected for the NFL’s 50th Anniversary Team and was one of four inside linebackers to be selected for the NFL’s 75th Anniversary team. Wherever the ball was, Ray Nitschke seemed to follow, as proved by his 25 career interceptions.
Nitschke was the leader of a fast and mean Vince Lombardi defense. When we talk about how football isn’t what it once was, with softer hits and more forgiveness to the offense, Nitschke immediately comes to my mind. This dude was one tough son of a bitch, who let you know when he hit you. The definition of a “dog,” Nitschke spent his whole career with Green Bay. The combination of leadership, toughness and legacy is more than enough for Nitschke to make this list.
3. Donald Driver, WR
Playing with two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Donald Driver was the crossover between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, producing incredibly with both players. Driver spent his whole career in Green Bay, totaling 743 receptions for 10,137 yards and 61 touchdowns. A seventh-round pick out of Alcorn State, Driver almost always produced when he had his number called. Driver finished his career with four Pro Bowl selections and, while relative to other receivers in NFL history, he wasn’t the greatest player, his work ethic and personality instantly won fans over.
With the biggest smile in NFL history, Driver went out on top, helping Green Bay win its fourth Super Bowl and 13th championship overall. Outside of football, Driver was incredibly respected within the Green Bay and Wisconsin communities. Since his rookie season in 1999, Driver has made over 300 charitable donations, as well as hosted a charity softball game. Spending time at Children’s Hospitals and Goodwill, Driver seemed to know that he was meant to do more than just play football. Add to the fact that Driver continues to operate the Donald Driver Foundation, wrote children’s books, won Dancing With the Stars and created the Donald Driver Driven to Achieve Awards, and it is no secret why Green Bay honored Driver with a statue.
2. Reggie White, DE
The greatest free agent signing in NFL history happens to have occurred in the very first summer of free agency. After Green Bay traded for Brett Favre, you could tell that the team was looking to build a Super Bowl contender. With Reggie White leaving the Eagles, this seemed like a perfect opportunity to sign one of the best players in the NFL at the time. White signed a four-year, 17 million-dollar (!) contract with the Packers. Not only did White slide into that defensive leader role, he more than met expectations. In his six seasons with Green Bay, Reggie White totaled 68.5 sacks, which at the time he left Green Bay was the most in franchise history. Added to those sacks, White was a one-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-Pro and a Super Bowl Champion.
That Super Bowl win was a major reason why White is so beloved in Green Bay. The team hadn’t won a championship since 1967 and fans knew that, after signing White, the drought could finally end. Not only did it end, but the addition of White made Green Bay a dominant force in football again. White’s larger-than-life personality, partnered with his strong religious beliefs, kept him in the good graces of Packer fans well beyond his death in 2004.
1. Bart Starr, QB
I am not sure how many teams this would apply to, but for the Green Bay Packers history, the third-best quarterback in team history is probably its most iconic player. Bart Starr was the face of the greatest era in Packers history. Drafted in the 17th round of the 1956 draft, Starr started as a backup to Tobin Rote, before being named the starter in Vince Lombardi’s first season as the Packers’ head coach. That duo did not look back. Probably your grandfather’s favorite player, Starr finished his Packers career with 24,718 passing yards and 152 touchdowns. While those stats aren’t eye-popping by any means, his five NFL Championships, two Super Bowl MVPs, one Regular Season MVP and four Pro Bowls are eye-popping. Not to mention, Starr was the leader of Lombardi’s Packers. He was the hard-nosed quarterback who never complained, played through injuries and willed his team to victories. Those qualities are summed up in the most iconic play in NFL history – Starr’s sneak in the Ice Bowl.
The love for Bart Starr goes beyond the football field though. Starr and his wife Cherry helped to create the Rawhide Boys Ranch in New London, WI. The facility helps at-risk and troubled boys throughout the state of Wisconsin. On top of that, Starr had donated many times to the facility, including the Corvette he won for winning Super Bowl II MVP. On top of Rawhide, Starr, again along with his wife Cherry, helped start the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation to help raise funds for cancer research. They also launched the Starr Children’s Fund to help with pediatric research.
Starr dedicated his adult life to the Green Bay Packers and the community surrounding the team. He truly exemplified what it means to be a Green Bay Packer and for as long as the Packers are around. Without a doubt, Bart Starr will be the most loved and most iconic player in Green Bay Packers history.
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