Green Bay Packers: Who wore #86 best?

With 86 days left until the start of the Green Bay Packers NFL season, our countdown to the big day, Sunday, Sept. 11, when the Green Bay Packers travel to Jacksonville to take on the upstart Jaguars will focus on the the number that represents the days remaining … today it’s #86.

We highly recommend “Packers by the Numbers: Jersey Numbers and the Players Who Wore Them,” by John Maxymuk. The book, which chronicles every Packers jersey number was published in 2003 and provides a strong background of information about Packers players and their jersey numbers up to that point in time.

Yesterday, we focused on Hall of Famer  Willie Davis.

Today, we highlight a player that many of you my have heard of, but only from afar. You see, there have been some really good players to have worn #86, including Boyd Dowler and Antonio Freeman – heck even Ed West and Donald Lee had pretty good success wearing the uniform for the Packers.

Today we focus on Billy Howton who was one of those really talented players doomed to play their entire career on bad teams.

But that didn’t mean their individual successes didn’t overshadow their misfortune in the wins and losses categories.

But like yesterday’s number, there were those failures who wore #86, such as Kent Gaydos, Jessie Green, and J.J. Moses. No, I had never heard of those guys either.

So, how can we not focus on Antonio Freeman, who spent 1995-2003 with the Packers? Or why not Dowler? Their statistics are undeniable; the fact that Freeman rose from the depths of the Packers roster and earned his way to stardom was a great feat. The fact that Dowler played on some pretty good teams and benefited from the talent around him is undeniable.

Freeman and Dowler were great players.

How can we forget how Freeman made that Miracle Monday Night catch against the Vikings in overtime and helped lead the Packers to two straight Super Bowls? How can we not forget Dowler’s role in the Packers passing game with that 1960s dynasty.

We can’t and we shouldn’t.

But we shouldn’t forget the skills offered by Billy Howton either …

Let’s take a look.

Next: Billy Howton: Reliable and fast