Top 5 Green Bay Packers Players and Coaches of All Time

Over the last year, I have seen many top 5 lists of Green Bay Packers, but here is my opinion. The top 5 needs to be a top 5 of only players and then top 5 of coaches that includes players who were coaches. The coaches may not have been the best coaches, but they were coaches and a top player, so they go on the coach list. After the 5, I will add an honorable mention, as they are a close contender for a top-5 position. I will not number the top 5, because it is too close to call. I list them in order of when they started their earliest position. I only list players who played 5 years or more for the Green Bay Packers, as many greats played for less, but to me, they needed to play 5 years to be all-time greats. I also will not list Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (who is a 3 time Pro Bowler (2009, 2011, 2012), an AP First-Team All-Pro (2011), an AP Second-Team All-Pro (2012), an AP NFL MVP (2011), a PFWA NFL MVP (2011), a Super Bowl champion (XLV), a Super Bowl MVP (XLV), the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year (2010), and the Associated Press Athlete of the Year (2011)) or Head Coach Mike McCarthy (who is a Superbowl champion in 2010(XLV) and NFC Champion (2010)), because they are still playing and coaching, respectively. However, after they retire, they will definitely go on this list, unfortunately knocking someone off.

Top 5 Non-Coaching Players

• Johnny "Blood" McNally (played Halfback 1929-1936) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. He also played for the Milwaukee Badgers, Duluth Eskimos, Pottsville Maroons, Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers), and Buffalo Tigers. He wore numbers 14, 20, 24, 26, and 55 as a Green Bay Packer. He is a 4 time NFL champion (1929, 1930, 1931, and 1936) and a member of the NFL 1930s All-Decade Team.
• Paul Hornung (played Halfback 1957-1966) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. He had his #5 unofficially retired by the Green Bay Packers in 1967. He is a 2 time Pro Bowl selection (1959, 1960), 2 time first-team All-Pro (1960, 1961), 4 time NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965, and 1966), a Super Bowl Champion (I), a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, a NFL MVP (1961), and recipient of the Bert Bell Award (1961)
• Ray Nitschke (played Linebacker 1958-1972) Entered the Pro Football  Hall of Fame in 1978. He had his #66 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 1983. He is a Pro Bowl selection (1964), a 3 time First-team All-Pro selection (1964, 1965, 1966, a 4 time Second-team All-Pro selection (1962, 1963, 1967, 1969), a 3 time NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965), a 2 time Super Bowl Champion (I, II), the MVP of 1962 NFL Championship Game, a member of the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
• Brett Favre (played Quarterback 1992-2007) Likely will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He will likely have his #4 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 2014. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings. He is a 11 time Pro Bowl selection (1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009), 3 time AP First-Team All-Pro (1995, 1996, 1997), 3 time AP Second-Team All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2007), 3 time AP NFL MVP (1995–1997), 5 time NFC Player of the Year (1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2007), 2 time NFC Champion (1996, 1997), a Super Bowl champion (XXXI), and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.
• Reggie White (played Defensive Tackle & Defensive End 1993-1998) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He had his #92 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 2005. He also played for the Memphis Showboats, the Philadelphia Eagles, and Carolina Panthers. He is Rated #7 NFL Player of all-time by NFL.com, a 13 time Pro Bowl selection (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998), a 10 time First-Team All-Pro selection (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998), a 3 time Second-Team All-Pro selection (1994, 1996, 1997), a Super Bowl champion (XXXI), a 2 time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1998), a 3 time UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1991, 1995), a 2 time NFL sacks leader (1987, 1988), a1986 Pro Bowl MVP, and a member of the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

• HONORABLE MENTION: Jim Taylor (played Fullback 1958-1962) Entered the Pro Football  Hall of Fame in 1976. He also played for the New Orleans Saints. He had his #31 retired by the NEw Orleans Saints. He is a 5 time Pro Bowl selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964), a 6 time All-Pro selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966), a 3 time NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965), a Super Bowl champion (I), an AP NFL MVP (1962), and a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team

Top 5 Coaches & Players that Coached

• Earl "Curly" Lambeau (played Halfback 1919-1929 & Head Coach 1919-1949) Entered the Pro Football  all of Fame in 1963. He is expected to have his #1 retired by the Green Bay Packers in the future. He also coached the Chicago Cardinals and the Washington Redskins. He is a winner of the 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, & 1944 NFL Championship, and is a member of the NFL 1920s All-Decade Team.
• Don Hutson (played Split End, Safety, & Kicker 1935-1945 & Assistant Coach 1944-1948) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. He had his #14 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 1951. He is a 8× First-Team All-Pro (1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945), a 4 time Pro Bowl selection (1939-1942), a 3 time NFL Champion (1936, 1939, 1944), he is Rated #9 NFL player of all-time by NFL.com, he is a member of the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the NFL 1930s All-Decade Team, he is also a 2 time NFL MVP (1941, 1942). He holds the NFL record most seasons leading the league in touchdowns (9) and the Green Bay Packers all-time leading Touchdown receptions leader with 99.
• Bart Starr (played Quarterback 1956-1971 & Head Coach 1975-1983) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He had his #15 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 1973. He is a 4 time Pro Bowl selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1966), an AP First-Team All-Pro (1966), a 2 time AP Second-Team All-Pro (1962, 1964), the 1966 NFL MVP (AP, NEA, SN, UPI), the "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year (1966), a 5 time NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967), a 2 time  Super Bowl champion (I, II), a 2 time Super Bowl MVP (I, II), a member of the NFL 1960s, and is Rated the #51 NFL Player of all-time by NFL.com
• Vince Lombardi (Head Coach 1959-1967) Entered the NFL Hall of Fame in 1971. He also coached the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He is a 4 time Pro Bowl selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1966), a AP First-Team All-Pro selection (1966), a 2 time AP Second-Team All-Pro selection (1962, 1964), an AP NFL MVP (1966), a UPI NFL MVP (1966), a NEA NFL MVP (1966), the "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year (1966), a 3 time NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965), a 2 time Super Bowl champion (I, II), a 2 time Super Bowl MVP (I, II), a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, and he is Rated #51 NFL Player of all-time by NFL.com
• Mike Holmgren (Head Coach 1992-1998) Likely will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He also coached the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. He is a Super Bowl winner in 1996 (XXXI) and won the NFC championship in NFC (1996, 1997, 2005)

• HONORABLE MENTION: Forrest Gregg (played Offensive Tackle 1956-1970 & Head Coach 1984-1987) Entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys and coached for the San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Toronto Argonauts, Cincinnati Bengals, and Shreveport Pirates. He is a 6 time NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971), a 3 time Super Bowl Champion (I, II, VI), a 9 time Pro Bowl selection (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968), a 7 time AP First-team All-Pro selection (1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967), a 1 time AP Second-team All-Pro selection (1959), a member of the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team.

While I believe this list is definitive, the only other person that some Packers fans might say belongs on this list is Tony Canadeo (played Halfback 1941-1952). Entered the Pro Football  Hall of Fame in 1974. He had his #3 retired by the Green Bay Packers in 1952. He is a First-Team All-Pro selection (1943), a NFL Champion (1944), and a NFL 1940s All-Decade Team

But any way that you slice it, Tony Canadeo, Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy, Forrest Gregg, Mike Holmgren, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Don Hutson, Curly Lambeau, Jim Taylor, Reggie White, Brett Favre, Ray Nitschke, Paul Hornung, and Johnny Blood are definitely the 15 most important figures in the last 94 years of the Green Bay Packers American Football Club's history in the National Football League (NFL) since 1919 AD.

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