Best Green Bay Packers player to wear No. 34 was an underrated dual-threat back

Welcome back to our series on the greatest Green Bay Packers players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.

We're just over a third of the way through our journey, and we're ready to keep rolling, so let's not waste any time and have a look at everyone who's worn No. 34 for the Green & Gold over the years.

Micah Abernathy, S
Shemar Bartholomew, CB
Edgar Bennett, RB
Jim Bowdoin, G
Don Chandler, K/P
Allan Clark, RB
Patrick Dendy, CB
Tiny Engebretsen, OL/K
Ahman Green, RB
Michael Hill, RB
Don Jackson, RB
Kalen King, CB
Cully Lidberg, FB
Larry Mason, RB
Mike McKenzie, CB
Terdell Middleton, RB
Vernand Morency, RB
Jonathan Owens, S
Lou Rash, DB
Al Rose, E
KeiVarae Russell, CB
Red Sleight, OT
Joe Spencer, OT
Dick Stahlman, OL
Johnny White, RB

As it's gone for the vast majority of our entries thus far, several members of the Packers Hall of Fame appear on this list, four to be exact.

From the early years of the franchise, we've got Tiny Engebretsen, who was quite versatile, as he served as both an offensive lineman and a placekicker. A two-time champ with the Packers in 1936 and 1939 (he also won a title with the Chicago Bears in 1932), Engebretsen wore three different numbers during his eight-year run in Green Bay, also sporting Nos. 69 and 52, but he wore No. 34 more than any other.

From the Vince Lombardi era comes kicker and punter Don Chandler, who made his name with the New York Giants but spent the final three years of his career with the Packers. But they were special years, as he suited up for Green Bay from 1965 to 1967, meaning he won three NFL Championships, the last two of which led to victories in the first two editions of what we now know as the Super Bowl.

You undoubtedly noticed Ahman Green on the list, who wore No. 30 during his initial seven-year stint with the team from 2000 to 2006 but switched to No. 34 when he returned in 2009. He only rushed for 160 yards that season, but that was enough for him to surpass Jim Taylor to take the top spot on the Packers' all-time rushing yards list.

As Green wore No. 34 for just that one year, we couldn't genuinely consider him, and while we did take long looks at Engebretsen and Chandler, we instead opted to roll with the one Packers Hall of Famer we haven't yet mentioned, that being Edgar Bennett.

Edgar Bennett was one of the most versatile backs in the NFL in the mid-1990s

After a solid collegiate career at Florida State, where he shared the backfield with several future NFL backs, Bennett was taken by Green Bay in the fourth round of the 1992 draft with the 103rd overall selection.

A natural fullback, the 6-foot, 220-pounder spent the first few years of his pro career playing mostly that position, although he did see some time at running back as well. It really wasn't until 1995 that the roles reversed, but no matter where he lined up, he was one of the most versatile backs in the entire league, as not only was he a strong runner, but he was a fantastic receiver.

Bennett didn't get a ton of snaps as a rookie, but business picked up in his second season, as he ran the ball 159 times for 550 yards and nine touchdowns and added another 457 yards and a score on 59 receptions.

In 1994, he tallied 1,169 total yards from scrimmage (623 rushing, 546 receiving) and nine total touchdowns (five rushing, four receiving), and in helping the Packers reach the NFC Championship Game in 1995, he had his best overall season, setting career highs in both rushing yards (1,067) and receiving yards (648) while scoring seven total TDs (three rushing, four receiving).

Bennett's role diminished a touch in 1996 due to the emergence of Dorsey Levens, but he still tallied 1,075 total yards and three scores during the regular season and another 242 yards and three TDs in Green Bay's march to the team's first title in 29 years.

But that Super Bowl 31 win turned out to be his last official game as a Packer, as he suffered a torn Achilles during the 1997 preseason, knocking him out for the year. He signed with the rival Chicago Bears as an unrestricted free agent in 1998 and closed his career playing two seasons in the Windy City.

In his five-year run with the Packers, Bennett rushed for 3,353 yards and 19 touchdowns and caught 242 passes for 1,920 yards and 10 scores. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2005, which is the year he began his coaching career in Green Bay, and he remained with the team through the 2017 season, spending six years as the running backs coach, four as the wide receivers coach, and three as the offensive coordinator.

Other Green Bay Packers jersey honorees

This list will be updated daily until all 100 entries are complete, so be sure to check back in with Lombardi Ave for updates.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Edgar Bennett was one of the most versatile backs in the NFL in the mid-1990s

Other Green Bay Packers jersey honorees

Schedule