Considering the Packers have been around since 1919, and the NFL recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary, there are plenty of great moments to choose from in Packers history. For the sake of this article, I’m going to narrow it down to the top five Packers memories in my history as a fan. I’ve been a Packer fan since birth in 1985. I’m a Packers fan in Illinois, much to the dismay of my father. I’ve seen a lot of exciting and memorable football during that time.
Here are my top five Packers memories:
5) A Comeback for the Ages: September 9, 2018
It was the Packers 100th season, and they were opening it up against their oldest rival—the Chicago Bears. The Bears had just traded for superstar edge rusher Khalil Mack, and they had a young play-caller in rookie head coach Matt Nagy. The Bears came ready to play, and the Bears looked ready and willing to ruin the 100th season of the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers left the game with a severe leg injury that looked season ending, after taking a hard sack in the first half. From there, Khalil Mack and the Bears feasted on DeShone Kizer and the Packers. By the time Rodgers returned to the field, the Packers were down 20-0. It looked like all hope was lost. Thanks to a quick passing game, an absolute beauty of a throw from Aaron Rodgers to Geronimo Allison, and the game-winner to Randall Cobb for 75 yards, the Packers were able to come back and win 24-23. It was a game I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.
4) 4th and 8: December 29, 2013
During the 2013 season on Monday Night Football, the Bears had knocked Aaron Rodgers out of the game with a broken collarbone. This led to the team barely hanging on for the rest of the season in their attempt to win the NFC North for the third year in a row. Rodgers was placed on temporary IR, and many wondered if was worth it to bring him back. Matt Flynn kept things together for the Packers, highlighted by a 23-point second half comeback against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas.
It was the perfect moment: Rodgers in the season finale against the Chicago Bears, the team that injured him. He was looking to break their hearts and the hearts of their fans. On the game-winning drive, they completed three fourth downs, but none was bigger than the 48-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, also returning from a broken fibula. Julius Peppers, who would become a Packer the next year, just missed Rodgers on a blitz. Chris Conte stood at the line marker, and Cobb waved his arm in the air, as he was wide open. The rest, as they say, is history.
3) NFC Championship: January 23, 2010
It sure seems like the Packers/Bears have had a lot of memorable moments, but the Packers have been on the better end of most of those moments. This was the biggest Packers/Bear game to date. It was for the right to go to the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was not a pretty one. What else would you expect from Bears/Packers? The Packers took a 14-0 lead thanks to two rushing touchdowns, one from Rodgers and one from James Starks. Jay Cutler was forced to leave the game with an injury.
The Bears made it interesting all the way until the end, but thanks to the big man pick-six by B.J. Raji and a game-ending interception by Sam Shields, the Packers won the NFC Championship at Soldier Field. It doesn’t get any sweeter than that.
2) The Pack Is Back: Packers Win Super Bowl 31: January 26, 1997
Few teams in NFL history were as stacked and dominant as the 1996 Green Bay Packers. They had the number one offense and the number one defense in football. They had the NFL MVP in Brett Favre. The only thing standing in the way of them winning the Super Bowl was the Patriots. At this point in time, the Patriots were not the Patriots that we know now, as Tom Brady was not in the league. They didn’t even have a Super Bowl to their name.
The reason this one was so special is because it took the Packers almost three decades to get back and win the Super Bowl. It looked like a dynasty was on their hands. Sadly, they did not repeat the following year and lost to the Broncos, even though the Packers were heavy favorites. However, no one can take Super Bowl 31 away from them. It was a complete victory with the offense doing their part, the defense dominating, and Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Titletown was back, baby!
1) Rodgers and the Pack Win It All: February 6, 2011
The reason I picked Super Bowl 45 over Super Bowl 31 is for a few reasons. I was old enough to know how hard it is to win a Super Bowl. It was the third season for Rodgers as a starter. They were the sixth seed and had to win six games in a row to win it all. They also had a league-high 15 players on injured reserve. There was nothing easy about winning Super Bowl 45 against the Steelers and their vaunted defense.
Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and was named the MVP of the game. Nick Collins got a pick-six in the first half. The Packers were up 21-3 and held on to win 31-25. It was a magical season. They had to fight and claw for everything they earned in the 2010 season. They had to win road playoff games in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Chicago. This team had a vision before the 2010 season, and they never lost sight of it.
Those are my top five Packers memories as a fan. What are some of your favorite memories as a Packers fan?
Follow me on Twitter at @OTHWisconsin for more great content!
Also, be sure to check out the Overtime Heroics Forums page to join in on the discussion.
Head over to our shop if you are interested in purchasing some Overtime Heroics gear!
Check out our partners at Repp Sports! They offer the first-ever, crowd-sourced, no carb, no sugar, energy drink called RAZE and much more! Use the link above or add the promo code OTH1 at checkout!