Green Bay Packers: 50 greatest players in franchise history

Greatest players in Green Bay Packers history: 16. Sterling Sharpe

Sterling Sharpe is the highest ranking former Packer on this list who has not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame that is eligible. We can chalk it up to having his career cut far too short due to a neck injury after the 1994 NFL season. That begin said, Sharpe’s seven-year NFL career with the Packers was spectacular.

Sharpe was drafted No. 7 overall by the Packers in the 1988 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He was an impactful rookie, registering 55 receptions for 791 yards and a touchdown. The next season in 1989 would be Sharpe’s breakout season in the NFL. He led the league in receptions with 90 for 1,423 yards and 15 touchdowns. Sharpe would make his first of five Pro Bowls that season, as well as his first of three All-Pro first teams.

Three times did Sharpe lead the league in receptions. Twice he led the league in touchdown receptions. Sharpe had more yards than anyone in 1992. That would be his greatest professional season, as he led the league in receptions (108), yardage (1,461) and touchdowns (13). He would finish his Packers career with 595 catches for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns.

With the arrival of Brett Favre in Green Bay, it seemed that Sharpe was destined for Canton. However, seven seasons has not been a large enough body of work to get him in. His younger brother in former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe argued for his older brother’s induction into Canton back in 2011 when he was enshrined. Sharpe is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, has his No. 2 jersey retired by South Carolina and is a member of the Packers Hall of Fame.