Best Green Bay Packers player to wear No. 96 lifted the Lombardi in his final game

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

We're so very close to reaching the end of our long journey, and we inch closer here at No. 96 with a player who wasn't in Titletown very long but unquestionably made an impact and ended his 13-year career by lifting the Lombardi Trophy.

But before we run through the details, let's first have a look at everyone who's worn No. 96 for the Green & Gold over the years.

Vaughn Booker, DE
David Bowens, DE
Jonathan Ford, DT
Sean Jones, DE
Kingsley Keke, DE
Tony Leiker, DE
Mike Montgomery, DT/DE
Mike Neal, LB
Shawn Patterson, DE
Brian Price, DT
Larry Smith, DT
Steve Warren, DT
Muhammad Wilkerson, DT
Gerald Williams, DE
Colby Wooden, DL

As it's gone with many other entries in our series, just as picking the winner for this slot was an easy call, so was choosing the runner-up, with that honor going to linebacker Mike Neal, who spent six seasons in Green Bay from 2010 to 2015, meaning he won a Lombardi of his own as a rookie, and tallied 133 total tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 37 QB hits, 19.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception.

Moving on to our selection, that honor easily goes to defensive end Sean Jones.

Sean Jones recorded 28.5 sacks in just three seasons with the Green Bay Packers

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Jones spent his collegiate years at Northeastern University, where he played his first two years on the offensive line before switching to the other side of the ball for his junior season and senior seasons.

The 6-foot-7, 275-pounder was taken in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders, with whom he spent four seasons and racked up 31.0 sacks (and another 2.0 in the postseason), including a career-high 15.5 in 1986.

He then spent six seasons with the Houston Oilers, with whom he tallied another 57.5 sacks (and again, 2.0 in the postseason) and earned his first and only Pro Bowl selection in 1993.

In 1994, Jones signed with Green Bay, thus putting him in position to play on the same defensive line as the legendary Reggie White, who'd signed with the team a year earlier.

Naturally, as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, White was the more dominant force, but Jones certainly made his presence felt, recording 10.5 sacks during the 1994 regular season and another 2.0 in the playoffs, 9.0 sacks during the 1995 regular season and another 2.0 in the playoffs, and 5.0 during the 1996 regular season.

While he failed to tally a sack in the 1996 playoffs, we're guessing that he didn't really care, as that postseason, of course, ended with the Packers defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 35-21 in Super Bowl 31, a game in which he had three total tackles. And as mentioned above, that turned out to be the last game of his career, which is a mighty fine way to go out.

Again, while Jones spent just those three years in Green Bay, those 28.5 total sacks were more than enough to earn him this title of the best Packers player to wear No. 96.

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.

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Sean Jones recorded 28.5 sacks in just three seasons with the Green Bay Packers

Other Green Bay Packers jersey honorees

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