The 5 best punters in the history of the Green Bay Packers

Punters are people, too. Outside of long snapper, punter is perhaps the most overlooked position on the field. But if a team gets it right, they can consistently flip field position and put them on top of the game.

The Green Bay Packers have had mixed results at the position over the years. Punting in challenging wintery conditions at Lambeau Field is a far bigger ask than playing on a team with an indoor stadium.

If you are here, congratulations. You are a true Packers fan. Sure, anyone can check in on the all-time quarterback rankings, but to visit for the top five punters? That's a sign you love this team.

Fortunately, the Packers have benefitted from having many quality punters over the years, and it's the job of these rankings to highlight them.

Criteria for selection

Punting is a thankless task. Fans get excited when the quarterback jogs onto the field with hopes of a touchdown drive. Even the kicker brings the potential of points. Nobody wants to see the punter. Outside of a few booming punts, they are often forgotten unless they make a mistake.

It's not easy to compare punters due to the various factors that impact their jobs, including weather conditions, field position, and the team's punt coverage. However, we can factor average and net punt yards into our rankings.

Tenure also counts. The Packers' greatest kickers were able to overcome tough periods and quickly get back on track. Punters have to do the same to stick around in the NFL. We can also consider individual awards that highlight their talent, such as Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.

The top 5 punters in Green Bay Packers history

5. David Beverly (1975-1980)

After brief stints with the Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers, David Beverly spent the majority of his NFL career in Green Bay.

The Packers didn't enjoy much success during Beverly's six-year stay, going 31-57-2. Their offense never ranked higher than 20th in total yards, and only once ranked higher than 23rd in points. In other words, they punted a lot.

So much, in fact, that Beverly holds the franchise record for total punts with 495. He also ranks first, second, and fourth in the Packers' history books for most punts in a single season. The record is 106 in 1978. Beverly's 18,785 total punting yards are also a franchise best.

Beverly had to punt a lot, but he provided longevity at the position, which isn't easy for a punter. He spent six seasons with the Packers, with a solid 37.9 yards-per-punt average and a net average of 33.2. He posted his best numbers in 1979 with a career-high 40.4-yard average.

4. Craig Hentrich (1994-1997)

Craig Hentrich spent 16 seasons in the NFL, including the first four with the Packers. He posted 12,355 punt yards in Green Bay, the sixth-most in franchise history, while his 42.8-yard average is the fifth-best for the Packers (minimum 100 punts).

Hentrich consistently posted healthy punting averages, never falling below 41.4, and consistently pinned opposing teams inside their own 20-yard line. Only Tim Masthay had more punts downed inside the 20, but Hentrich wins on the percentage of punts inside the 20, with 36 percent, a franchise record (minimum 100 punts).

Hentrich played in 64 regular-season games for the Packers and another 11 in the playoffs. He punted in the team's back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 1996 and 1997, including seven times for 299 yards (42.7 average) in the Packers' victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.

The season after leaving Green Bay, Hentrich posted an NFL-best punt average of 47.2 yards, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

3. Donny Anderson (1966-1971)

Donny Anderson took on a lot of responsibilities for Vince Lombardi, helping the team win two NFL championships and Super Bowls. Anderson was a running back who could catch passes, he punted, and he even returned kicks and punts, taking a kickoff to the house in 1966. He did it all.

In six seasons with the Packers, Anderson rushed for 3,165 yards and 24 touchdowns and caught 125 passes for 1,725 yards and six scores. On top of that, he punted 315 times for 12,479 yards, the fifth-most in franchise history. Anderson's left-footed punts hung in the air for a long time, making it awkward for returners to catch and return.

Anderson made the Pro Bowl in 1968 after posting 1,094 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns on offense while punting 59 times for 2,359 yards at an average of 40.0 yards per punt. He even threw a touchdown pass.

Many of the Packers' all-time greats played important roles in Lombardi's teams. Anderson was one of them. In 1983, he was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

2. Tim Masthay (2010-2015)

At times, Tim Masthay had the best job in the world. The benefit of playing alongside Aaron Rodgers is that he would occasionally get a day off. Three times in Masthay's career, he didn't have to make a single punt, including twice in the 2014 season.

When he was called on, it turned out Masthay was pretty good at his job. His 17,230 total punt yards rank second in franchise history, highlighting his longevity, and his punting average of 44.2 is the third-best (minimum 100 punts).

In 2015, Masthay's 40.2 net yards per punt set a new Packers record. Justin Vogel beat the record in 2017 by averaging 41.6 net yards. Masthay also ranks third for single-season punting average, posting 45.6 in 2011.

There's a reason why he spent six seasons in Green Bay when many others fail to land a second year. He was consistent and rarely made mistakes. Statistically, Masthay is one of the best punters in franchise history.

We spoke about the upside of playing with Rodgers. The downside meant plenty of overtime, as Masthay featured in 12 playoff games, averaging 40.1 yards per punt in the postseason. He helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV, punting six times and only giving up five return yards.

It's only a matter of time before Masthay is inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

1. Verne Lewellen (1924-1932)

Verne Lewellen is a fascinating player to research. Football was a different game in the 1920s when punting on early downs was considered the norm. The aim was to win the field-position battle, and Lewellen was the best at it.

What makes it difficult is the lack of punting statistics from his playing career, but thanks to accounts from NFL historians, it doesn't take long to realize how important he was to the Packers. Lewellen rushed for touchdowns, caught touchdowns, and punted.

Packers historian Cliff Christl wrote a fascinating article on Lewellen's legendary career, including his unbelievable numbers from the 1929-1931 seasons.

"In all, he punted 196 times. Forty-five of those punts, almost one-fourth of them, traveled 50 yards or more, including 22 of 60 yards or more," writes Christl. "Fifty-two of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and 23 resulted in returns of zero yards."

It's hardly surprising the Packers had him punt on early downs. In a much lower-scoring game, winning the field-position battle mattered. And when you have a punter with a big leg who can place the ball wherever he wants, it makes sense to hand him the reins. In doing research for these rankings, an excerpt from a Milwaukee Journal article from 1931 stood out.

It reads: "On one such kick of 65 yards from under his own goal line late in the game, Lewellen came galloping down the field and made the tackle himself, stopping the runner back with a measly five-yard return."

It doesn't get much better than that. Even without the benefit of official punting statistics, it's clear that Lewellen is the greatest punter in Packers history and one of the NFL's all-time greats.

Lewellen helped the Packers win three NFL championships and was a four-time first-team All-Pro. He was part of the first Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame class in 1970.

The 5 best punters in Packers history by punting yards