Green Bay Packers countdown to NFL football season 2017 – #98
The NFL season is just more than three months out, and with that in mind we understand that the Green Bay Packers and NFL fans get only smidgens of news from team camps.
As we wait for the start of training camp and the regular season, there is plenty of team news and history that’s worth remembering and writing about.
With that in mind, we are digging deep into Packers history and continuing this countdown to the start of the 2017 season by focusing on each number and the players who wore the number.
We continue the series here by focusing on number 98, a jersey that’s been worn by only 11 players since 1950.
The number is currently worn by Letroy Guion, the defensive end who has been productive on the field, but has had issues off the gridiron. Should Guion stick with the team into the regular season, you won’t see him for the first four weeks because he’s been suspended.
More from Lombardi Ave
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- Packers salary cap update following second week of free agency
- Packers’ cornerback depth chart after second week of free agency
- Packers’ edge rusher depth chart after second week of free agency
- Packers’ tackle depth chart after second week of free agency
But we digress.
The featured players who are part of this series may not be the best player to have worn the number; they may not be a hall-of-famer, but we’ve chosen them to provide Packers fans with information about guys who have played in Packers News … men with whom you may or may not be familiar.
But that’s the fun of this exercise.
Let’s learn something new today … so that when the Seattle Seahawks invade Lambeau Field for the start of the NFL Season September 10, we’ll know a little bit more about the team’s history and many of the players who have worn the Green and Gold.
Think about it … there have been so many forgotten players who have passed through Green Bay that don’t necessarily stand out in the statistics, but still had some sort of impact on the franchise.
Let’s not waste any time … on to #98 …
Gabe Wilkins: #98
If you were around in the mid- to late-1990s, you may remember a defensive end by the name of Gabe Wilkins.
In fact, you will probably remember on particularly spectacular play by Wilkins that made him a household name … at least for a while.
Wilkins was selected in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft and joined a team with a defense that included the likes of Reggie White, Sean Jones, Gilbert Brown and Santana Dotson.
In all, Wilkins played four seasons in Green Bay from 1994-97. He finished his career by playing two uneventful years with the San Francisco 49ers.
More from Lombardi Ave
- Packers: Picks in NFL.com mock draft would be a home run
- Packers salary cap update following second week of free agency
- Packers’ cornerback depth chart after second week of free agency
- Packers’ edge rusher depth chart after second week of free agency
- Packers’ tackle depth chart after second week of free agency
While quietly playing behind one of the best defensive fronts in football during his first three seasons, Wilkins made his mark in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In his book, “Packers by the Numbers: Jersey Numbers and the Players Who Wore Them,” by John Maxymuk, the author describes what happened:
"“The Pack led only 7-3 in the second quarter when Tampa recovered a Brett Favre fumble at the Green Bay 18. On he next play, quarterback Trent Dilfer tried a sweing pass to Mike Alstott, but Wilkins made a strong rush, got in the path of the pass, and intercepted it. Dilfer tried to cut Wilkins low, but Gabe hurdled the grounded quarterback and rumbled 77 yards untouched for a touchdown and a 14-3 lead. It was a play that displayed the very best of Wilkins – his power, his quickness, his agility and his speed. The Packers won the game 21-16 and got back in the race for the 1997 divisional title.”"
It was a play that was replayed over and over during that season and for one bright shining moment, Wilkins was a hero.
Next: Top 30 moments of Green Bay Packers history
During his career in Green Bay, Wilkins played in 60 games for the Packers, starting 25 of them. He had 12.5 sacks, 57 tackles and 31 assists for Green Bay.
See our complete countdown posts here:
Gabe Wilkins’ career statistics, courtesy of profootballreference.com: