Welcome back to Lombardi Ave's series on the best Green Bay Packers players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.
Of the first six entries covering Nos. 0 to 5, we've seen four members of the Packers Hall of Fame in Curly Lambeau, Tony Canadeo, Brett Favre, and Paul Hornung, and one could easily assume that Mason Crosby will one day share that honor, what with him being the franchise's all-time leading scorer and all.
And here at No. 6, we've got yet another enshrinee, although this one may not be as recognizable to some. But before we get to the big reveal, let's first have a look at every Green Bay player who's worn the number over the years.
- Kurt Benkert, QB
- Mal Bross, B
- Joe Callahan, QB
- Sean Clifford, QB
- Dick Flaherty, E
- Ryan Flinn, P
- Derrick Frost, P
- Graham Harrell, QB
- Dutch Hendrian, B
- Dallin Leavitt, S
- Kyle McCord, QB
- Herm Rohrig, HB
- JK Scott, P
- Clayton Tune, QB
- George Vergara, E
- Cowboy Wheeler, E
- Whitey Woodin, OL
As you can see, there's not a ton of notable names here. The fact that JK Scott, who punted for the Packers from 2018 to 2020, is our runner-up pretty much tells you all you need to know. A case could conceivably be made for Cowboy Wheeler to take the silver medal, as he did appear in the Packers' first-ever game when they were still playing semi-pro ball and did score a touchdown in that game, but he also only started 10 of the 22 games in which he appeared at the NFL level.
But the clear-cut winner here is Whitey Woodin, who wore the Green & Gold for a decade in the early years of the franchise from 1922 to 1931.
Whitey Woodin was an ironman for the Packers in the early years of the franchise
A standout at Marquette, Woodin, whose given first name was Howard, began his NFL career with the Racine Legion in 1922 but joined the Packers that same season via trade. While mainly known as an offensive guard, the Wisconsin native, like many back then, played both offense and defense and quickly developed a reputation as one of the toughest players in the league.
Truth be told, that reputation came from his college days, as he once broke his ankle in a matchup against South Dakota and refused to come off the field. And he brought that same toughness and durability to Green Bay. According to the team's official website, heading into what turned out to be his final season in 1931, he hadn't missed a single practice in nine years.
He only appeared in a pair of games in that final year, as he was unceremoniously released because Green Bay faced fines for having too many players on the roster, but he at least went out with a bang, scoring the only touchdown of his 10-year career on an interception return. But those weren't the only points of his career, as he also served as the Packers' kicker on a few occasions, connecting on four extra-point attempts.
Despite playing in just those two games in 1931, Woodin still gets credit as a three-time NFL champion after having helped the team to titles in 1929 and 1930 and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1973.
Now, it should be noted that, in addition to wearing No. 6, he also wore Nos. 7, 9, and 23. Nevertheless, Woodin still deserves this slot.
Other Green Bay Packers jersey honorees
- No. 0: There's literally only one choice here
- No. 1: Micah Parsons isn't the pick just yet
- No. 2: The Packers' all-time leading scorer
- No. 3: The second player in franchise history to have his jersey retired
- No. 4: There's no introduction needed here
- No. 5: This player should have been the last to wear the number but wasn't
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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