Aaron Rodgers made some waves on The Pat McAfee Show and not just because he said he wanted to be traded to the New York Jets. During his last interview, he also proclaimed that he is arguably the greatest players in Green Bay Packers history. Of course, this is true; however, some people (such as Packers Hall of Famer Gilbert Brown) did not think it was prudent for him to say it about himself. Rodgers’ proclamation did, however, spark interesting debates over who the greatest player in Packers history is. Sports Illustrated created their own Top 10 list, and the placement of some players was rather questionable.
Sports Illustrated’s Top-10 Green Bay Packers Players
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In their article, Sports Illustrated ranked Aaron Rodgers as the second-greatest player in Green Bay Packers history. The complete list is below:
- Don Hutson
- Aaron Rodgers
- Brett Favre
- Forrest Gregg
- Willie Wood
- Herb Adderley
- Paul Hornung
- Willie Davis
- Bart Starr
- Reggie White
Of Rodgers, the article states:
“Rodgers is a four-time MVP with a Super Bowl ring to his credit. He’s also been selected to 10 Pro Bowls and is a four-time first-team All-Pro, certainly earning the distinction of being one of the best in his era.
‘One of the best passers I’ve ever seen,’ Christl says. ‘Probably the best of throwing on the run. I think those were his best years, when he started rolling out, making more extemporaneous plays. You look back at so many of his best players, like the toss to [Jared] Cook against Dallas [in the 2017 playoffs]. He could do it running to his left. Outstanding passer.’
“It’s impossible to say Rodgers hasn’t been a dominant, defining player of his era. The only problem for him is he’s 11–10 in the playoffs, with four losses at Lambeau Field. He’s also played at the same time as Tom Brady, so being the best of his contemporaries is impossible. Unlike the first player on the list.”
Did Sports Illustrated Get Aaron Rodgers’ Ranking Right?
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Lists like these are completely subjective, meaning everyone is going to have their own opinion. That being said, listing Don Hutson as the greatest Packers player of all time is, in my opinion, the correct thing to do. Not only did he revolutionize the wide receiver position, he also was one of the best defensive backs in the NFL during his playing days. His 99 career touchdowns are still a franchise record.
Now, as stated previously, these lists are subjective. However, it is difficult to see Bart Starr ranked so low. A winner of five NFL Championships, including the two Super Bowls, I personally would put him ahead of Rodgers and Brett Favre on this list. This is not to say his stats were better; but this is a question of greatness, and championships equal greatness.
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