Donald Driver has decided to retire. The Green Bay Packers all-time receiving leader will formally announce the decision on Feb. 6 at Lambeau Field.
You can actually get a free ticket to the announcement through the Packers beginning tomorrow. Surely, they will use this as an opportunity to try and sell you shit.
That aside, we’ve expected this announcement since the season ended, despite some odd speculation that the Vikings were interested in Driver earlier this week.
Driver is 37 and tumbled down the Packers depth chart in 2012. He was inactive for several games down the stretch, including the Packers Wild Card playoff win. Driver finished the year with just eight catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.
Nonetheless, Driver had a remarkable career in Green Bay. A seventh-round pick out of Alcorn State in 1999, Driver battled to make the Packers roster the first few seasons of his career.
He didn’t establish himself as a starter until 2002, when he recorded his first 1,000-yard season. That became one of his team-record seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
Driver also holds the team records for career receptions (743) and receiving yards (10,137). He’s third in receiving touchdowns at 61.
That’s a lot of balls!
Is Driver a Hall of Famer? No, but he’s a great story and will certainly go down in Packers lore.
Equally as impressive as his record setting numbers, was the fact that he was a class act who demonstrated good sportsmanship with no drama or baggage.
I hope they offer him a coaching slot
Thanks for the memories DD.
You are a mensch.
He’s an Ubermensch.
C L A S S
the definition of class. he loves the fans and they love him right back! congrats Donald, you’re the man!
he a Packer Hall of Fame shoo-in and thats all that matters!
All the Best to DD. A guy who earned every bit of success that ever came his way.
Sincerely hope he remains of part of the Packer face and part of the northeastern WI family.
He’s bound for the Packer Hall of Fame.
I know he won’t make the hall of fame but in my book he should. Despite already impressive numbers, he played for two quarterbacks who spread the ball around a lot. Had he played for a Tom Brady who tends to target one or two guys more than others, his numbers would have been inflated. He ranks 37th all time in yard behind many future and current hall of famers and even passed the great Don Hutson for most yards as a packer. Apart from his on the field, he was a class act every second of every day. You never had to worry about him getting arrested or running his mouth to the media. Even this last year when he was nearly invisible, he never complained and never showed his frustration. The development of the young guys like Nelson, Cobb, Jones and even Jennings is in large part to the mentor role he played within the locker room. I doubt the Packers receiving corps would be nearly as polished without him. I had the opportunity as a child to attend one of his camps down in Houston and apart from Packer fans like myself, there were loads of underprivileged kids who attended for free in an effort to show them how football can be a positive in an otherwise difficult life. I hope the Packers offer a front office position to one of the best professionals the league has ever known.
As everyone has said what a class act.One of my all time favor Packers.Congratulations Donald you retire with dignity. P.S. sorry but I can not help myself but I was just thinking about the EX Quarterback who just did not get it and was a real piece a crap when he retired 2 and 3 times
you & me both…..
The ex-QB also happens to be one of DD’s best friends.
Hey all you Packer Fans living in Green Bay: I need a favor. Tickets to the retirement announcement are being given away starting 9am at Lambeau tomorrow. Myself and at least 1 other packer fan from southern Illinois REALLY want to road trip for the announcement, but only if we can actually SEE IT!
Anyone willing to pick up 2 tickets for us?? We will be able to get them from you at Lambeau before the event, or VERY late tuesday night….we’ll be driving up after work.
He’s a class act, will always be one of my favorite Packers, & I’d love to be there to say good bye….
DD = How it is done, boys and girls.