Green Bay Packers: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time
By John Buhler
(2007-15). John Kuhn. 4. player. 49. . FB
Best free agent acquisitions in Green Bay Packers history: 4. John Kuhn
John Kuhn originally went undrafted out of Shippensburg University in 2005. He would sign as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in April 2005. Kuhn would go on to be a part of the 2005 Steelers team that beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in Detroit as a practice squad player.
After just nine games with the 2006 Steelers, Pittsburgh would release Kuhn shortly before the start of the 2007 NFL season. Green Bay swooped in and signed the fullback off the street. This turned out to be one of the best free agent acquisitions the Packers ever made.
Though he played the unglamorous position of fullback, Kuhn would become somewhat of a folk hero in Green Bay. His first year with the Packers was the final year Brett Favre started for the team. Kuhn would be a huge part of the offense once Aaron Rodgers emerged as the offense’s star signal caller.
In 2010, Kuhn absolutely entered his prime. As a fullback, he rushed for 281 yards on 84 carries for four touchdowns, all career highs. Green Bay would beat Kuhn’s former team in the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV in Arlington. The next year saw Kuhn make his first of three Pro Bowls in Packers uniform.
Outside of Rodgers’ first year as the Packers starter in 2008, Green Bay made the NFC playoffs each year Kuhn played for the team. From 2010 to 2015, Kuhn was arguably the best fullback in football. He was First-Team All-Pro in 2014, making his second trip to the Pro Bowl. His final Pro Bowl came in 2015, which coincidentally was his last year with the Packers.
Kuhn signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2016. He played two more years with the Saints before ending up out of the league. In total, Kuhn rushed for 601 yards on 196 carries and 18 touchdowns in his nine years with the Packers.
While he starred playing a position that is quickly dying in the modern NFL, Kuhn is undoubtedly one of the Packers’ best free agent signings. How many other free agents have they picked up that have been a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion in the course of nine years? Exactly, and that’s why Kuhn’s spot in the top-five is rightfully so.