The 10 best safeties in the history of the Green Bay Packers

Safety play is important but often overlooked in the NFL. Finding talented cornerbacks gets the attention, but without good backup from the safeties, defenses can struggle to prevent big plays in the passing game and slow down rushing offenses.

The Green Bay Packers have a rich history at the safety position. Some of the greatest in league history have spent time wearing green and gold, helping the Packers bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Who are the best safeties to play for the Packers?

Criteria for selection

There is no single factor that can determine what makes a great safety. They are asked to do a lot in the backend of the defense, and statistics don't always give us the best comparison between eras.

Everything has to be considered. Stats play a part, as do big plays, longevity, memorable moments, and how they contributed to the team's success. Did they play on championship defenses? Were they leaders to whom the rest of the team turned in crucial moments?

It's not easy to measure all of those variables, but that's what this ranking attempts to do. Individual awards, such as Pro Bowls and All-Pros, can also help. It shows how their peers and voters regarded them while they played the game.

The top 10 safeties in Green Bay Packers history

10. Steve Luke (1975-1980)

A fourth-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft, Steve Luke spent six seasons with the Packers, the only team he played for in the NFL.

Luke became a Packers fan after watching the Ice Bowl, the game Bart Starr famously won on a quarterback sneak. Luke's arrival in Green Bay coincided with Starr's first season as the Packers' head coach.

Despite featuring in four games as a rookie, Luke didn't start any of them. That changed the following season, with the Ohio State product becoming a regular starter for Green Bay over the next five years. Luke started 75 of the 90 games he played for the Packers, making six sacks, 10 interceptions (including a pick-six), and six fumble recoveries.

9. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2014-2018)

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's time with the Packers is a tale of two halves. He proved the team right for selecting him in the first round early in his career, making 210 tackles, 16 pass defenses, and eight interceptions. In 2014, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and just two years later, he became a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro for the first time.

However, his play declined dramatically in 2017, and the Packers traded him to the Washington Commanders midway through the 2018 season. He would spend time with the Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders before retiring as a Packer in 2022.

8. Adrian Amos (2019-2022)

The Packers desperately needed better safety play in 2019, and they turned to Adrian Amos in free agency. He instantly became a fan favorite by making a game-winning interception in his debut against the Chicago Bears, his former team.

Amos never missed a game during his four seasons in Green Bay, starting all 66. While he wasn't known for big plays, Amos still made seven interceptions. He provided stability and consistent play in the backend of the Packers' defense, rarely making mistakes. Amos made 362 tackles, four sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 30 pass defenses, making the Bears regret letting him go to a division rival.

7. Morgan Burnett (2011-2017)

Morgan Burnett made a brief impact in the Packers' championship-winning defense in 2010, his rookie season. Burnett started his first four games and made 14 tackles and an interception. He looked on track for an excellent debut season before suffering a torn ACL.

He bounced back brilliantly, starting 98 games over the next seven seasons and providing consistency in the Packers' secondary. Burnett came away with eight interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and nine fumble recoveries in that time.

While the Packers had many ups and downs on defense, Burnett provided solid safety play throughout his career. After spending eight years in Green Bay, he finished with stints at the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. In 2022, he retired as a Packer.

6. Johnnie Gray (1975-1983)

Johnnie Gray spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Packers. He is one of many undrafted free agents to have an incredible career in Green Bay, and he is now a member of the team's Hall of Fame.

Despite going undrafted, Gray didn't take long to impress the coaching staff. He started all 14 games in his rookie season, recovering four fumbles and intercepting one pass, enough to earn PFWA All-Rookie Team honors.

Gray became a leader and captain in the Packers' defense, starting every game in his first six seasons. He made 124 starts across nine years in Green Bay, becoming one of the great undrafted stories in franchise history.

5. Mark Murphy (1980-1991)

Not to be confused with Packers president Mark Murphy, who was also an NFL safety for the Washington Commanders. The other Mark Murphy spent his entire 12-year career with the Packers.

Murphy signed as an undrafted free agent in 1980 but didn't get many opportunities to play in his rookie season, featuring in only one game. That soon changed. By 1983, he was a regular starter, beginning as a free safety but later moving to strong safety. From 1983 to 1991, Murphy started 115 games and made 17 interceptions (including a pick-six) and 11 fumble recoveries.

He was an outstanding run defender, leading the Packers in tackles three times in his career. Murphy retired after 12 years with the team, never playing for another franchise. In 1998, he was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

4. Nick Collins (2005-2011)

Had it not been for injury, Nick Collins may have sat at the top of these rankings. Collins had to retire in his seventh season due to a neck injury, but he made a significant impact during his time in Green Bay.

Ted Thompson's first draft pick was Aaron Rodgers. His second? Collins. Talk about hitting a home run in your first attempt as general manager. Collins made three Pro Bowls and second-team All-Pros for the Packers and played a starring role in the Super Bowl XLV victory. Late in the first quarter, Collins intercepted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. It was a defining moment.

Collins was a game-changer. He made 21 interceptions for the Packers, including four pick-sixes. In 2008, he picked off seven passes and returned three of them for touchdowns.

He is one of the greatest safeties to wear the green and gold. Collins was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2016.

3. Bobby Dillon (1953-1959)

Bobby Dillon's career just crossed over with the start of the Vince Lombardi era. He wasn't there for the championship years under Lombardi but deserved to be. Dillon is one of the team's all-time greats, making four first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams during his eight-year career, all with the Packers.

Dillon still holds the franchise record for interceptions with 52. Many Packers greats came close, from Herb Adderley to Charles Woodson to Willie Wood, but none of them could beat Dillon's incredible interception record. It may never be beaten. He returned five of them for touchdowns, which is tied for the third most in Packers history.

The 1952 third-round pick had an unbelievable stretch from 1953 to 1957, making 41 interceptions in just 58 games. Quarterbacks threw in his direction at their own risk.

Dillon was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1974 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

2. LeRoy Butler (1992-2001)

Few Packers are as beloved by the fans as LeRoy Butler. He changed the game.

A four-time first-team All-Pro, a four-time Pro Bowler, and an instrumental player in the Packers' Super Bowl season in 1996, Butler is one of the greatest safeties in NFL history. He became the first player at the position to make at least 20 career sacks and interceptions. Butler made game-changing plays against the passing game, both by intercepting quarterbacks and by blitzing. His 38 career picks rank fourth in franchise history.

Butler's legacy lives on to this day through the Lambeau Leap, a celebration he made popular after making a pick-six against the Los Angeles Raiders in 1993.

It's impossible to discuss the Packers' greatest defensive players without mentioning Butler's name near the top of the list.

He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2007 and finally went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022—it was long overdue. In 2023, Butler was named to the Packers' Board of Directors.

1. Willie Wood (1961-1971)

Willie Wood went from undrafted to one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.

He played a starring role in the Packers' dynasty under Vince Lombardi, winning five NFL championships and two Super Bowls. During that time, Wood earned eight Pro Bowl selections, the third-most in Packers history, and five first-team All-Pro honors.

Wood did a bit of everything. On defense, he was among the best players for Lombardi's Packers. His 48 interceptions rank second in franchise history, behind only Bobby Dillon. He even contributed on special teams, totaling 1,391 career punt return yards and two touchdowns.

The all-time greats make big plays when it counts the most, and Wood did that. In Super Bowl I, with the Packers holding a narrow 14-10 advantage over the Kansas City Chiefs, Wood made a crucial interception and returned it 50 yards. It set up an Elijah Pitts touchdown run, setting the Packers on their way to a 35-10 victory.

Wood was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

The 10 best safeties in Packers history by interceptions