There are few franchises in all of professional sports with a history as rich as that of the Green Bay Packers. Indeed, the Packers’ history is a source of pride for fans, who still hold many players from their childhoods in the highest regard.
The long history of the Packers also makes records set and broken by current players all that more noteworthy. It really is quite the achievement to set a standard or record for a franchise that is over 100 years old.
While the 2023 team may not be living up to expectations, several of its young players are quietly putting together seasons worthy of note in the annals of franchise history. One of these is rookie tight end Luke Musgrave, who is on pace to break a record set by the great wide receiver Sterling Sharpe 35 years ago.
Green Bay Packers Tight End Luke Musgrave Is On Pace to Break One of Sterling Sharpe’s Rookie Records
When the topic of the greatest wide receiver in Packers history comes up, there is really three names that deserve mentioning: Don Hutson, Davante Adams, and Sterling Sharpe.
Sharpe, of course, spent his entire seven-year career (cut short by a neck injury) with Green Bay, never missed a game, and still holds many receiving records. Had he not gotten hurt, it is highly probable he would have ended career holding every single franchise receiving record.
One of the records he set came in 1988, his rookie season. That year, he broke Billy Howton’s franchise record for most receptions by a rookie with 55. Howton’s previous record had been 53 all the way back in 1952.
This season, Musgrave has 27 receptions through eight games, or an average of 3.4 receptions per game. This puts him on pace to have 57 receptions by the end of the 2023 season, which would break Sharpe’s record.
What About Other Green Bay Packers Rookie Receiving Records?
File photos Mandatory Credit: Green Bay Press-Gazette – USA TODAY Network
As for the other big rookie receiving records, such as yards and touchdowns, those both belong to the great Billy Howton, who may be one of the biggest Pro Football Hall of Fame snubs of all time.
In his rookie season, 1952, Howton had 53 receptions for 1,231 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 1,231 yards led the NFL that season.
Howton enjoyed a long 12-year career, mostly spent with the Packers. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns towards the end of his career. When he retired, his 8,459 receiving yards were the most in NFL history (he had broken Don Hutson’s record at the time).
Unfortunately, his name seems to have been forgotten by the Hall of Fame’s veteran’s committee, who is responsible for making sure deserving vets from previous eras get their deserving place in Canton.
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