We’ve got nothing against Donald Driver, but he is NOT the greatest receiver in Green Bay Packers history. Some of you obviously need that history lesson.
Why do we bring this up?
Fox Sports Wisconsin is running a poll asking who is the greatest receiver in Packers history. The choices are Driver, Sterling Sharpe, James Lofton, Don Hutson and Antonio Freeman.
Why the hell is Freeman on that list? Good question, but that’s another matter entirely.
Driver, of course, is far and away the leading vote getter.
If you have to ask who the best receiver in Packers history is, you don’t deserve to be a Packers fan.
It’s Don Hutson. There’s no debate. So let us educate you.
Hutson played from 1935-45. Yeah, we know, that’s before your time, but that doesn’t excuse your ignorance.
Hutson is credited with inventing the modern receiver position. In any poll of people who know anything, you’ll see Hutson ranked as the second-greatest receiver of all time. Not on the Packers, in the entire history of the NFL.
The only guy you’ll see ranked ahead of Hutson on those lists is Jerry Rice.
At the time of his retirement, Hutson held 18 NFL records. Many of those have since been broken, but it took decades to happen. For example, his record of 99 career receiving touchdowns stood until 1989. His record of 17 receiving touchdowns in a season stood until 1984.
Here are the records Hutson still holds.
- Most seasons led league, scoring: 5
- Most consecutive seasons led league, scoring: 5
- Most points scored in a quarter: 29
- Most touchdowns scored in a quarter: 4
- Most touchdown receptions in a quarter: 4
- Most seasons led league, touchdowns: 8
- Most consecutive seasons led league, touchdowns: 4
- Most seasons led league, receiving touchdowns: 9
- Most consecutive seasons led league, receiving touchdowns: 5
- Most seasons led league, receptions: 8
- Most consecutive seasons led league, receptions: 5
- Most seasons led league, receiving yards: 7
- Most consecutive seasons led league, receiving yards: 4
How many NFL records does Donald Driver have? Oh yeah, zero.
Further, Hutson is a Hall of Famer, a two-time NFL MVP, an eight-time first-team All Pro, a member of the NFL’s 75th anniversary team and won three championships.
Driver cannot and will not ever be able to say anything of those things.
He was the first man in history to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
He did all of this playing in 10, 11 and 12-game seasons. That’s right Poindexter, the NFL season wasn’t always 16 games long.
Lesson complete.
28 Comments
Sorry, Sterling Sharpe all the way. Players of Hutson’s era are hard to compare to players today. I haven’t seen him play so it’s hard to give the vote to him.
Driver was special and his durability is part of that, but if Sterling’s career wasn’t cut short by injury, we’d be talking about him as one of the all time NFL greats, not just Green Bay.
He was nearly unstoppable during his time, on teams that frequently had shoddy QB play and no complimentary weapons.
Hutson dominated the league like no other receiver. And remember, this was during a time when it was actually harder to throw the ball. Not to mention, the guy was a multipurpose threat; he played offense, defense, and special teams. He’s not only the greatest wide receiver in Packers history, but the greatest Packers player period.
it was total DOMINATION. No other receiver of his time was even close. That is why he stands above everyone else. Damn good DB too!
I looked it up, Hutson had 30 INTs in his career! good enough for #9 in GBP history. He was a man among boys………
If he would’ve had a long career, Sterling would’ve been the greatest Packers Receiver ever and one of the all time greats. Anyone who saw him play knows that. Dream scenarios aside, I definitely agree with Don Hutson.
Anyone who says it is anyone other than Don Hutson does not know their Packers history. Not even close.
I guess sentiment is running high for DD right now. I dont think we can discredit him… Not being as good as don hutson and sharpe doesnt mean you suck. Man had a great career especially for a guy who came in a 7th rounder and lasted as long as he did. I’d happily have all 3 line up for an all-time packers team (obviously in fantasy land)
Wow Monty…Calling the majority of Packer fans ignorant, morons, that they dont deserve to be Packer fans?…Really?….It can be debated who the best Packer receiver was, thats fine. Here’s the problem….Most on here didn’t ever see Hutson play unless they are 80 years old. So people love Donald Driver the player and the man, BIG DEAL. If thats being ignorant, moronic, and we don’t deserve to be a Packer fans, (in your eyes)…Then so be it….All of us undeserving ignorant, moronic Packer fans, wish you well in anger management therapy. You can make a point without being such a prick.
Lol…^5
This is always the way it is.
If you did a poll right now on who the best President was ever, and you included Obama on the list, he would probably finish right behind Lincoln, Washington and FDR. There is a percentage of our illustrious population who are allergic to history. Anyone who came before them is of no account.
THis is certainly no debate.
DON HUTSON
STERLING SHARPE
The debate would only start after that with James Lofton, Donald Driver, Boyd Dowler, Free and Jennings being in that next group.
Career #s =Hutson
Talent = Sharpe
Longevity = Driver
No awards given for the later two, Monty wins the argument.
Nobody even comes close to Don Hutson….
Not even Randork Moss….
No one mentions that Driver had to SHARE catches with the likes of Mark Chmura, Antonio Freeman, Bill Schroeder, Javon Walker, Bubba Franks, Robert Furgeson, Greg jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Jermicheal Finley……………No disrespect to Don Hutson, but lets be real about this….Hutson was the go to guy, all the time….3 score and 10 years ago was a different time without the talent depth of today.
1936 – Hutson 34 catches..2nd leading rec had 15 catches…….1937 – Hutson 47 ctaches…2nd leading receiver 10 catches…….1938 – Hutson 32 catches…2nd leading receiver 12 catches…….1939 – Hutson 34 catches..2nd leading receiver 12 catches…….1940 – Hutson 45 catches…2nd leading receiver 15 catches……..1941 – Hutson 58 catches…2nd leading receiver 22 catches…….1942 – Hutson 74 catches…2nd leading receiver 22 catches…….1943 – Hutson 47 catches…2nd leading receiver 10 catches….1944 – Hutson 58 ctaches…2nd leading receiver 9 catches….1945 – 47 catches…2nd leading receiver 10 catches.
Hutson was no doubt the go to guy and a great receiver…I’ll stick with Driver. I have no doubt that if Driver was targeted 60 -70% of the time throughout his career, It wouldn’t even be a question who was the best.
Most of Hutsons records Monty likes to crow about were in a 10 team league…..10 teams compared to 32 teams….Give me a flippin break with this…Back in the stone age when no one even had a tv.
understand that less teams means more talent on each team. Only the best athletes played in the league when it was smaller. Which makes Hutson’s accomplisments even greater. He was THE MAN in his day.
Yeah, Don hutson is the best statisticly. However, you can’t discredit the consistancy that ol DD brought to the team. I love that he chose retirement over betrayal. Such a rare quality in a modern day pro athlete. Character goes along way to makeing someone GREAT! And Monty GO E.A.D. You couldn’t hold DD’s jock strap! Jack!
Statistically throughout the career….the inclination is to lean towards Driver & Hutson. But if we are talking straight game changing, scheme against them at all costs talent…then its gotta be Sterling then Lofton. We were terrible Lofton’s whole stay & for most of Sterling’s too….they were EVERYTHING. And they still produced. Hutson is an icon and I feel bad pushing him down but the different era argument is legit. He more than held his own though vs these guys. Yards per game I thought is the best criterion since they just about all played the same number of games for us (ballpark) with the obvious exception of Driver.
Sterling: 72.6 112 games
Lofton: 71.0 136 games
Hutson: 68.9 116 games
Driver: 49.4 205 games
Sterling only played 7 seasons. Tack on 5 more yrs with Farve throwing him the ball & at 75% production of his first 7 yrs…..and he’d own every record we have. IMHO….Its gotta be Sterling.
Less teams means more talent? So in that theory you are saying there was more talent back then, then their is now? Sounds logical. Back in the 30’s and 40’s the game was more of a hobby than an occupation, these guys had jobs during the week….lol
if you aren’t smart to understand the concept, thats OK. you have some pretty twisted logic.
I get that dj…..But Drivers yards would be higher, but they’ve been phasing him out of the offense the last 3 years. That skewed his average low. The last 3 years, Driver average 37 ypg….25ypg….5,5 ypg…..Sterling Sharp was Favre’s security blanket in the early 90’s….He got the majority of the throw’s. If you wanted to anylize it in a more accurate way, you’d have to look at percentage of throws to a certain receiver…………….btw….The Green Bay offense didnt start flourishing until after Sharpe was gone, that is when Favre really took off.
You just cant discount the fact, that Hutson was the #1 targeted receiver, in his 10 years as a Packer receiver BY FAR….The Packers in Donald Drivers era had MANY more weapons to throw to vs the Hutson era.
You just cant discount the fact, that Hutson was the #1 targeted receiver, in his 10 years as a Packer receiver BY FAR….The Packers in Donald Drivers era had MANY more weapons to throw to vs the Hutson era.
Jeff Query was by far the most prolific receiver to ever wear green and gold.
Get it straight!!!
Sharpe stands out as the best Packer reciever in my lifetime. Although I wasn’t around during the silent movie era where it was o.k. to beat women and smoke everywhere you felt like it.
mxz600…I too get that you are trying to make your case for Driver. I love the guy too. But the numbers nor the reality back up his being the Pack’s all time best WR. DD had 7 seasons where he avg’d under 42yds per game. 7! Sterling & Lofton, meanwhile, were never under 50yds per game….ever….and both hit the ground producing.
DD didnt get going until his 4th yr.
I also dont see how targets or who they played with matters. The bottom line is did they make plays, move the chains, score, produce, & do so consistently through out the totality of their stay in GB & regardless of other factors working for or against them. 7 seasons of mediocrity suggest otherwise for DD being “the greatest.” He still has the records & a helluva career though & I couldnt be happier for him. It isnt a slap in his face to say Sterling Sharpe & James Lofton or Don Hutson were better. They are all elite all time Packers.
Also saw something about Hutson that gives me pause. His most productive years were the war years, 1941-45, when obviously there might have been a watering down of the talent level with most of the men going off to war. I dont know that to be the case nor am I declaring a cause & effect…but it kinda makes sense if it did.