Green Bay has been a pass first team over the last decades with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers at the helm. However, during that time there have been a handful of receivers in Green Bay helping Favre and Rodgers eclipse numerous NFL records.

With Donald Driver retiring just a few short weeks ago and the recent news that the Green Bay Packers will not franchise tag wide receiver Greg Jennings, the 2013 Packers’ wide receiver group will look a bit different.

With the departure of Driver and Jennings, it got me to thinking: where do these two men rank on the Packers’ all-time wide receiver list?

Without further ado, here are your top 10 wide receivers in the history of the Green Bay Packers.

10. Caroll Dale

Stats: 275 receptions, 5,422 yards, 35 touchdowns, 19.7 yards per catch average

Carroll Dale is a bit of an unknown in Packers’ history, but his statistics speak for themselves.

Dale was brought to Green Bay in a trade in 1965 with the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to his days in Green Bay, Dale never was part of a winning team in L.A.

All that would change in Green Bay, however. Dale and the Packers won the three league championships and the first two Super Bowls, all within Dale’s first three seasons as a Packer.

Dale’s glory years in Green Bay came between 1968-70.

In 1968, Dale totaled 42 receptions, 818 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns all while being named to the All-NFL second team in 1968.

Dale left the Packers in 1972 to join the Minnesota Vikings, but only played one season in Minnesota before retiring in 1973.

9. Greg Jennings

Stats: 425 receptions, 6,537 yards, 53 touchdowns, 15.4 yards per catch average

It appears Greg Jennings has played his last down in Green Bay. With the team not franchise tagging him, and the Packers unwilling to shell out the reported $12 million a year Jennings wants, all signs point to both sides moving on.

Jennings has been a staple for the Packers the last seven seasons. His numbers stack up well against the best receivers the league has to offer since joining the Packers in 2006.

Jennings’ best season as a Packer came in 2010-11 when he caught 76 passes for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns. 2010-11, of course, was the year the Packers would go on to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, 31-25. Jennings caught four passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.

In just seven seasons Jennings has climbed up the list for Packers’ all-time receiving records. If he were to stay in Green Bay, Jennings could have easily challenged any receiving record previously set in Green Bay.

However, if we have seen the last of Jennings in Green Bay, it was a great run that saw Jennings and the Packers hold up the Lombardi trophy.

8. Boyd Dowler

Stats: 448 receptions, 6,918 yards, 40 touchdowns, 15.4 yards per catch average

Boyd Dowler was a member of the Packers Glory Years in the 1960s. As a primary weapon in a historic offensive scheme, Dowler led the Packers to five championships, including Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II.

In 1963, Dowler had his best season as a pro. He caught 53 passes for a career-high 901 yards and six touchdowns.

Dowler’s career moment came in Super Bowl II when he caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bart Starr in a Packers’ victory. Dowler finished the game with two receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Of Dowler’s 11 seasons in Green Bay, he led the team seven times in receiving yards, which is third all-time in Packers’ history.

Dowler left the Packers after the 1969 season. He would sit out the 1970 NFL season, then join the Washington Redskins in 1971, but only played one season for the Redskins.

Dowler was a two-time Pro Bowler in 1965 and 1967. His 6,918 career receiving yards is good for fifth all-time in Packers’ history.

7. Billy Howton

Stats: 303 receptions, 5,581 yards, 43 touchdowns, 18.4 yards per catch average.

Billy Howton just missed the Packers’ dynasty years of the 1960s. In just seven short seasons as a Packer, Howton racked up an impressive career in the Green and Gold.

Howton was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 1952 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Howton immediately made an impact on the field. He set a Packers’ record (which still stands today) with 1,231 yards receiving in his rookie season.

Howton was best known for his tremendous speed and big play ability

Howton led the NFL in receiving yards twice (1952 and 1956) and led the Packers team in receiving for six straight years from 1952-57.

Vince Lombardi was hired to be the Packers’ coach in 1959 following a 1-10-1 season. One of Lombardi’s first moves as coach was trading Howton to the Cleveland Browns in 1959 in exchange for two players. The move was very controversial, but worked out for Lombardi as he went on to dominate the 1960s.

Like Jennings, if Howton would’ve been in Green Bay longer he would have had a great opportunity to break many Packers’ receiving records.

Howton broke the Packers’ single-game receiving record in 1956 against L.A Rams when he caught seven passes for 257 yards.

Howton was inducted into the Packers’ Hall Of Fame in 1974.

6. Max McGee

Stats: 345 receptions, 6,346 yards, 50 touchdowns, 18.4 yards per catch average

Max McGee was one of the longest-tenured receivers in Green Bay history playing 12 seasons for the Packers.

The Packers took McGee in the 5th round (51st overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft. McGee had a solid rookie season with 36 catches for more than 600 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine touchdowns as a rookie is good enough for second all-time in Packers’ history.

However, McGee would take the next two seasons off to join the Air Force before returning to Green Bay for the 1957 season.

McGee’s best season as a pro came in 1961 when he caught 51 passes for 883 yards and seven touchdowns.

McGee led the NFL in yards per catch in 1959 with 23.2. However, the Packers would have their worst season in team history with a 1-10-1 record.

McGee is fifth all-time in Packers’ history with 50 career touchdown receptions. He led the team in receiving for four times (1958, 1960-62).

McGee won five NFL Championships, including the first two Super Bowls. He would retire following the Packers’ victory in Super Bowl II over the Oakland Raiders.

McGee was inducted into the Packers’ Hall Of Fame in 1975.

5. Antonio Freeman

Stats: 431 receptions, 6,651 yards receiving, 57 touchdowns, 15.4 yards per catch average

The Green Bay Packers selected Antonio Freeman in the third round (90th overall) in the 1995 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech.

In his rookie season, Freeman appeared in 11 games and only caught eight passes in an exclusive kick/punt returning role for the Packers.

In his second season, Freeman’s role would dramatically increase. He caught 56 passes for 933 yards and nine touchdowns. In the Packers’ Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots, Freeman caught three passes for 103 yard and a touchdown in the victory.

The following year, the 1997-98 season, Freeman had his breakout year. Freeman started all 16 games for the Packers. He caught 81 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the Packers 1998 Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos Freeman caught nine passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. However, it was his drop on third-and-6 on the Packers’ final attempt at a game-tying drive that would do the Packers in.

Freeman’s best season came in the 1998-99 season where he caught 84 passes for 1,424 and 14 touchdowns. His 1,424 yards receiving in 1998-99 is good enough for the third most receiving yards in a season in Packers’ history.

Freeman was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection following his career season in 1998-1999.

Freeman became a member of the Packer’s Hall of Fame in 2009.

4. James Lofton

Stats: 530 receptions, 9,656 yards, 49 touchdowns, 18.2 yards per catch average.

The Packers selected James Lofton with the sixth overall pick in the first round in the 1978 NFL Draft out of Stanford.

In Lofton’s rookie season he caught 46 pass for 818 yards (second most by any Packers’ rookie) and six touchdown receptions.

From 1980-86 Lofton was practically impossible to defend. His unique mixture of size (6-3) and speed made him a matchup nightmare for defenses around the NFL.

In his nine seasons in Green Bay, Lofton was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and a member of the All-Pro team four times.

Lofton’s best season as a Packer came in 1981 when he caught 71 passes for 1,294 and eight touchdowns.

The only knock on Lofton’s tenure as a Packer was the late 1970s and 1980s were a stage of mediocrity for the Packers. The team struggled to win consistently, so the play of Lofton wasn’t always recognized, which is part of the reason he decided to leave Green Bay following the 1986-87 season.

Lofton holds the Packers’ record for most games of 100 or more receiving yards in a game at 32.

He is also third all-time in Packers’ history for total yards from scrimmage with 9,901.

Lofton is a member of the 1980s NFL All-Decade Team. He was selected to the Packers’ Hall of Fame in 1999.

Lofton became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

3. Donald Driver

Stats: 735 receptions, 10,137 yards receiving, 61 touchdowns, 15.6 yards per catch

The Green Bay Packers took a flier on Donald Driver in the seventh round (213th overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft.

Driver was the longest-tenured receiver in Packers’ history before retiring last month.

Being an undersized wide receiver from a little school and being drafted in the seventh round, Driver always played like there was a chip on his shoulder.

Driver’s breakout year came in 2002, his fourth NFL season, when he caught 70 passes for 1,064 yards and a career-high nine touchdown receptions.

For 14 seasons Driver was the definition of durability, missing only four games in his career.

Driver helped finish the career of Bret Favre and launch the career of Aaron Rodgers in his time in Green Bay.

His trademark smile and love for the Packers fans have made him arguably the most liked Packer of all-time. As great a player as Driver was on the field, he was even a better person off the field.

In his time in Green Bay Driver set numerous Packers’ receiving records including most seasons of 1,000 or more yards receiving (7) most career receiving yards (10,137) most seasons of 50 or more receptions (9) and most receptions in a career (735).

Driver and the Packers’ won their first Super Bowl in 14 seasons in 2010-11.

2. Sterling Sharpe

Sharpe was an outstanding player and contributed to the Packers’ offense right away. His rookie season he caught 55 passes for 791 yards and a touchdown.

The following season, 1989-90, Sharpe broke out and caught 90 passes for 1,423 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Sharpe’s best season came in 1992 when he broke Art Monk’s record of 106 receptions in a season (since broken by Marvin Harrison’s 143 in 2002). Sharpe finished that season with 108 receptions for 1.461 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Sharpe’s brilliant young career was cut short in 1994 after he suffered a neck injury. Sharpe’s injury put him in the same class as Bo Jackson and Gale Sayers as great talent cut short by injury.

Sharpe was a five-time Pro Bowl selection in just seven NFL seasons in Green Bay. He was also a three-time All-Pro selection in 1989, 1990 and 1992. He led the NFL in receptions three times (1989, 1992, 1993). He led the NFL in touchdown receptions twice (1992 and 1994).

One of only seven players in the history of the NFL to hold the NFL’s receiving version of the “Triple Crown” which entailed leading the league in receptions, touchdowns, and yards.

Sharpe holds the following Packers’ receiving records: most receptions in a season (112) and most receptions in a rookie season (55).

Sharpe is a member of the Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame, but not of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

1. Don Hutson

Hutson was able to put up numbers in the 11-game schedule at the time that players would struggle to accomplish in the 16-game schedule now played in the NFL. For example, in 1942 Hutson caught 74 passes for 1,211 yards and 17 touchdowns all while only “starting” four games that season.

Forget Packers’ receiving records for the moment, Hutson still owns a number of NFL records. These records include most seasons leading the league in receptions (8) most seasons leading the league in receiving yards (7) most seasons leading the league in touchdown receptions (9) and most seasons leading the league in scoring (5).

In his day, Hutson wasn’t just a star receiver, he was a defensive back and punter. In 1943 he intercepted eight passes and had 30 for his career.

Hutson was an eight-time All-Pro (1938-45), three-time NFL Champion, a member of the 1930s All-Decade team, according to NFL.com he is rated as the No. 9 NFL player of all-time.

Don Hutson holds the following Packers’ records: most seasons leading team in receiving (10) most receptions in a game (14) most games of 200 or more yards receiving (4) most touchdown receptions in a career (99) most consecutive games with 100 or more yards receiving (4) among others.

He is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame.

His No. 14 jersey is retired by the Green Bay Packers.

He is your No. 1 receiver in the history of the Green Bay Packers.

Sterling Sharpe was one of, if not the best, of his time – a time that was cut way short because of injury.

In my mind, today is known as “The day the game died” – for on this date in 1995, the Green Bay Packers released “with reluctance” Sterling Sharpe, the wide receiver who so silently glided through his career in Titletown.

His career in the NFL and the Packers was cut short by a neck injury – cutting him down in his prime after only seven seasons with the Packers. Though he refused to talk to state reporters because of an incident early in his career, he let his actions on the field speak for him.

Drafted seventh overall in the first round by the Packers out of South Carolina in 1988 after a record-breaking college career, Sharpe caught 55 passes his first season and then started to come alive in his second season, grabbing a league-leading 90 receptions for 1,423 yards.

It seemed like bright lights and a Hall of Fame career was ahead, as Sharpe broke records belonging to the great Don Hutson along the way that second season.

In his third and fourth seasons, the rug got pulled from beneath him – his battery mate, Don “Majik Man” Majkowski, was hurt and had trouble staying on the field, so Sharpe had to take the gridiron with the likes of quarterbacks Blair Kiel, Anthony Dilweg, and Mike Tomczak. His production dropped significantly.

In 1990, Sharpe caught just 67 passes for 1,105 yards and in 1991 the numbers were similar – 69 receptions for 961 yards.

Brett Favre’s first game against the Bengals included several pass completions, including the 40-yarder just before the game-winning touchdown throw to Kittrick Taylor. After catching the pass near mid-field, Sharpe left the game because of a nagging rib injury.

Then a miracle occurred … Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman and Mondovi, Wisconsin, native Tim Krumrie sacked Majkowski in the third game of the 1992 season. When Majik writhed in pain on the field, Brett Favre warmed up on the sideline, entered the game, and wouldn’t be unseated from the position for 16 years.

The next three seasons cemented the connection between Sharpe and Favre and had Sharpe not gotten injured at the tail end of the 1994 season, who knows what kind of statistics the two of them could have put up? In my humble opinion, it could have matched, if not exceeded the numbers that were put up by the Joe Montana/Jerry Rice combination. In addition, the Packers, under Mike Holmgren and Ron Wolf, were just starting to put together a team that would go to two straight Super Bowls, winning in 1996.

In 1992, Sharpe had what may have been his finest season ever, but followed it up in 1993 and 1994 with comparably great seasons.

Sharp caught everything that was thrown his way in 1992. He had a career high 108 pass receptions for 1,461 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average 0f 91.3 yards per game. His longest reception of that season went for 76 yards. We were watching history in the making.

He followed up that performance in 1993 with 112 receptions (a new career high) for 1,274 yards, 11 touchdowns and a per-game average of 79.6.

Then in 1994, his final season, Sharpe recorded his third straight 1,000-yard season with 94 catches for 1,119 yards, a career high 18 touchdowns and a per-game average of 69.9 yards.

What was even more phenomenal was that Sharpe never missed a game over that seven-year span. He started 112 games, caught 595 passes for 8,134 yards, 65 touchdowns, and a per-game average of 72.6 yards.

August 3, 2011; Canton, OH, USA; Shannon Sharpe is presented with his bust by brother Sterling Sharpe at the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

His brother, Shannon, upon his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said it best when he said he was the second best receiver in his family.

“I’m the only player, of 267 men that [have] walked through this building to my left, that can honestly say this: I’m the only pro football player that’s in the Hall of Fame, and I’m the second best player in my own family.”

Had Sharpe not gotten injured, would this team have established a dynasty that could have matched the Packers of the 1960s? We’ll never know, but the possibilities at that time seemed endless.

So when Sharpe announced that he was forced to retire because of the injury, it was indeed a sad day – “the day the game died.”

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Here and below are Sterling Sharpe’s career statistics:

Here are some videos of Sharpe in his heyday:

Here is a video entitled “Sterling Sharpe Gets Career-Ending Injury.” While Sharpe suffers a neck stinger on this particular play, it was the injury that forced him to retire. That would come later in the season when the Detroit Lions’ Bennie Blades hit him. However, this video shows the play when Sharpe’s neck condition came to the forefront – at least publicly.

Brett Favre
Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

It was 1993 and the Green Bay Packers were just coming back into prominence after years of being the doormat of the National Football League.

Led by their star-in-the-making quarterback Brett Favre and rock-solid wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, the Packers on this date in 1993 came back to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10 when Favre hit Sharpe for a two-yard touchdown, following an 11-play drive in which Favre completed three first down passes.

The pass to Sharpe also came after Favre had been hit hard by the Buccaneers’ safety, leading Favre’s teammate and wide receiver Mark Clayton (remember him?) to describe the QB’s toughness.

On that 23-degree and sunny day at Lambeau Field, the Packers and Buccaneers were locked in a defensive battle, with the Packers leading 6-3 through three quarters on the strength of Chris Jacke’s two field goals.

However, in the fourth quarter, Bucs’ QB Craig Erickson hit Courtney Hawkins for a touchdown that gave the Bucs a 10-6 lead. But that was before Favre led the Packers on the final drive when he completed 8-11 passes for 79 yards (half of his total yardage on the day – 152).

The win also put the Packers in a tie for first place in the then-NFC Central Division.

The day is included in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame’s daily “This Date in Packers History.”

The full post by the Hall is located below.

Enjoy.

Tougher Than a Concrete Wall, Packers Defeat Buccaneers for Share of First

Nov. 28, 1993 – Offensively without a pulse for three-and-a-half quarters, the Packers come to life on a 15-play, 75-yard drive to edge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10 at Lambeau Field and claim a share of first place in the NFC Central Division along with the Detroit Lions. Brett Favre finds Sterling Sharpe with a 2-yard TD pass with one minute, 16 seconds remaining. Favre’s throw comes one snap after he absorbs a vicious shot from safety Barney Bussey. “He’s tough as nails; tougher than a concrete wall,” Packers receiver Mark Clayton says of his quarterback. “He’s so damn tough I can’t even think of adjectives to describe him.” Nearly half (79) of Favre’s 159 passing yards come on that scoring drive as he completes eight of 11 passes including three on third down.

Kitrick Taylor celebrates his touchdown catch of Brett Favre's pass against the Bengals. He was cut the very next day.

Kitrick Taylor … His name is synonymous with Brett Favre’s breakout game against the Cincinnati Bengals way back in 1992.

Of course, he was the receiver who caught the touchdown bomb from Favre to win that game and kick Favre’s Hall of Fame career in gear.

What’s ironic is that Taylor was in that game because Sterling Sharpe, who caught a huge 40-yard pass to midfield the play prior to the touchdown, was injured on that play. Taylor came in and caught the now famous pass.

But what’s really ironic is that Taylor was cut the very next day to clear room on the roster for another player who was returning from injury.

Well, to get to the point here, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame’s Today in Packers History is highlighted by a story about Taylor’s signing with the Packers as a special teams player.

Here’s today’s bit of Packers history.

Enjoy.

Packers Sign Return Man Kitrick Taylor March 25, 1992 - The Packers sign Kitrick Taylor in Plan B free agency to bolster their return game. The special teamer tied for third in the AFC in punt returns with a 9.6 average in 1991 while with the Chargers. Taylor’s career with the Packers consists of only 10 games, and his greatest claim to fame comes not on special teams, but at wide receiver where his 35-yard TD pass from Brett Favre in the closing seconds beats the Cincinnati Bengals 24-23 in Green Bay’s first win under coach Mike Holmgren.  Photo of Mike Holmgren

For Lombardiave.com

His words spoke truth.

His emotions dictated a humble sincerity that refreshed a football world fed-up with arrogance, greed and self-centered accomplishments amidst negotiations between union representatives and owners.

He said he’s the only football player enshrined in Canton, who’s the second-best football player in his own family.

With that sentence, Shannon Sharpe had tears falling down the face of Packers’ great Sterling Sharpe, who tried holding back the emotions as he watched his younger brother pass through the doors into “the fraternity of franternities.” (more…)

Sterling Sharpe is considered one of the best receivers in Packers history.

Shannon Sharpe, in an emotional plea this weekend to those who elect players to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, asked that they consider nominating his brother and longtime Packers great, Sterling, to the hall.

Saying he was the second best player in his household, Shannon brought tears to Sterling, who sat onstage after introducing his younger brother at last weekend’s induction ceremony.

Sterling, who’s career ended prematurely because of a neck injury, was on track to break every Packers receiving record and he also missed the Packers’ rise to Super Bowl elite status by just a couple of seasons. Had Sterling been able to play for even a couple more seasons, think what he and Brett Favre could have accomplished together. Sterling probably could have made Favre even that much better.

So the question is, should Sterling Sharpe be considered for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Well, here at Lombardiave, we say Duuuuhhhh!

As a Packers fan for 35 years, I’ve seen everything from Super Bowl campaigns to scabs to the forgettable Randy Wright era (although I cheered for Wright as much as I ever did Brett Favre — maybe more). Still, few Packers have been easier to cheer for than wide receiver Donald Driver.

Donald Driver is perhaps the easiest Packer for whom to root.

When Favre vomited his dignity all over the field in overtime of the NFC Championship game after the 2007 season, I thought it was probably Driver’s last chance to make it to the Super Bowl. I’m glad I was wrong.

Why? That’s easy: Because Driver is one of the NFL’s great role models. He came from a more than difficult childhood determined to “make it” in life and better himself. The Michael Vicks and Ben Roethlisbergers may get the headlines, but it’s Driver who deserves the respect and the success.

I am the first to groan when he makes bone-headed drops (and he’s had his share the last two or three seasons), but Driver — or “Quickie,” as  his friends and family call him — makes just as many highlight-reel and clutch grabs. Off the field, though, his dedication to charity and community, not to mention his family, mean he rarely drops the ball in the game of life. At 36, he is near the end of an amazing career in which he has broken many of Green Bay’s receiving records, surpassing icons like Don Hutson and Sterling Sharpe in the process.

As such, it’s fitting that the Packers’ deserving Driver has found his way to his ultimate prize. To that, I say “Congratulations.” Nevertheless, ESPN’s Wayne Drehs said it better than I ever could.