Recently, ESPN used some of this dreaded dead period before NFL training camps begin to compile an All Quarter Century Team, including 25 offensive players, 23 defensive players, and five special teams players to fill out a full 53-man roster, while also adding a complete 17-player practice squad and a four-man coaching staff.
Sadly for Cheeseheads, only one player to wear a Green Bay Packers uniform from 2000 to 2024 made the main roster, that being Julius Peppers, while two others were relegated to the practice squad.
There are some who weren't thrilled with Aaron Rodgers not being included among the three quarterbacks on the main squad, but it's difficult to argue against the trio of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes. And Rodgers did at least finish fourth, taking the first reserve slot over fellow one-time Super Bowl champion Drew Brees. So, it's tough to call that a snub.
That said, however, there is a Packers player who should unquestionably feel snubbed, that being Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson, who made the practice squad at safety but was completely excluded from the list of cornerbacks.
Charles Woodson is one of just three cornerbacks to win DPOY over the last 25 years
It's a little odd that Woodson was included at safety, seeing as he spent the vast majority of his 18-year career at cornerback, only making the switch full-time in his last few seasons. So, being the only member of the practice squad behind Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins, and Earl Thomas III is actually a bit of an honor.
The five cornerbacks to make the main roster were Darrelle Revis, Champ Bailey, Ronde Barber, Richard Sherman, and Patrick Peterson, with Jalen Ramsey occupying the lone spot on the practice squad.
Now, as only stats and accolades from 2000 to 2024 were taken into consideration, Woodson's first two seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders, which included his Defensive Rookie of the Year win in 1998, his First-Team All-Pro selection in 1999, and the first two of his nine total Pro Bowl selections were inadmissible.
Nevertheless, that's just two of 14 seasons during which he spent most of his time at cornerback. And while it's difficult to argue against some of the others listed above, Woodson still deserved a spot, especially seeing as how ESPN specifically listed longevity and peak seasons among the criteria for selection.
The longevity is undoubtedly there, and while Woodson did have some down years at the end of his initial run with the Raiders, he certainly turned things around signficantly during his seven-year run with the Packers from 2006 to 2012.
In those seven seasons alone, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner helped Green Bay win a Super Bowl and earned four Pro Bowl selections and four total All-Pro selections (two First Team, two Second Team).
Oh, and he was also named 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, thus making him one of just three cornerbacks this century to receive the honor, the other two being Stephon Gilmore (2019) and Patrick Surtain II (2024).
During that '09 campaign, Woodson recorded a league-high nine interceptions, returning three of them for touchdowns. How's that for a peak season?
Furthermore, of his 65 career interceptions, 59 came after the turn of the century. And even if you take away the 11 he had at safety over his final four seasons, his 48 picks are still the second-most among all cornerbacks from 2000 to 2024, trailing only Asante Samuel Sr.'s 51.
And it's undoubtedly worth mentioning that when the NFL released its All-Decade Team for 2000-2009, Woodson was a First-Team selection alongside Champ Bailey, while Ronde Barber was a Second-Team selection.
Trust us; we could keep going. But we think we've gotten our point across. The five cornerbacks who made the main roster are undoubtedly all great players. But the fact that Charles Woodson was not on that list is an absolute travesty.