Green Bay Packers: Top 10 Wide Receivers of All Time
By Matt George
General view of the Don Hutson Center. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
1. Don Hutson (1935-45)
Hard to argue this one.
Don Hutson defined the split end position in pro football. At a time when every NFL team ran the ball, Hutson and the Green Bay Packers found a new way to win each game through their aerial attack. In fact, Hutson is credited with creating many of the modern routes used by receivers in todays game.
Hutson held 19 NFL records when he retired. He led the NFL in pass receptions eight times and led in scoring five times, was named winner of Joe F. Carr Trophy (NFL MVP) in ’41 and ’42, was a three time NFL champion (1936, 1939, 1944) named on the Associated Press All-Pro teams from 1940-45, scored a league-record 29 points in a quarter and finished his career with 99 touchdowns.
For all of his accolades, Hutson had his number 14 retired by the Packers, the team’s indoor practice facility named after him and he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1963.