How Aaron Rodgers Stacks Up Against the Greatest Packers of All Time

Aaron Rodgers has had a remarkable start to his career, and the star quarterback has already put his name in conversation as the one greatest Green Bay Packers in the franchise’s history.

But with 13 championships and 21 current members of the Hall of Fame, the title of “Greatest Packer” is not an easy one to grasp, especially after just four seasons as a starter.

In order to keep the conversation interesting, I will be measuring Rodgers up against only other Packers players because Vince Lombardi is unquestionably the greatest Packer in team history.

During the Pack’s 93-year history, there have been many players who have have prolific careers, but here are the eight players who are a cut above the rest.

8. Paul Hornung

Paul Hornung was an incredible talent who could do anything on a football field. He was a proficient passer and kicker, but he made his mark with the Green Bay Packers by running the ball.

The Notre Dame star was chosen first overall by the Packers in 1957 and would go on to be an integral part of Vince Lombardi's dominant teams in the 1960s.

Hornung's talent reached its peak during the 1961 season when he won the NFL MVP and helped the Packers win their first championship since 1944. He was a dominant short-yardage runner and one the players who made Lombardi's sweep one of the most famous plays in football history.

But his career took a drastic turn in 1963 when NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Hornung and Detroit Lions' defensive lineman Alex Karras because the two men were betting on NFL games. Lombardi was able to get Hornung back into the league for the following season, but due to age and a bad back, he was never the same player.

If not for Hornung's injury and off-field indiscretions, he likely would have played a role on the Packers' championship teams in the latter part of the 1960s. Had this been the case, he would have ranked higher on the list. 

7. Jim Taylor

No offensive player embodied the Vince Lombardi era as well as Jim Taylor.

The bruising back was a no-nonsense runner who was willing to grind for every yard. With Taylor charging up the field after the sweep was called, defenders knew they were in for a painful experience if they hoped to bring him down.

In 1962, Taylor received 272 carries and racked up 1,474 yards and 19 touchdowns. He averaged 105.3 yards per game that season. Just as Paul Hornung did in the previous year, Taylor won the NFL MVP award and led the Packers to a championship.

This was the third straight season that Taylor recorded 1,000 yards, and he would go on to accomplish this in the next two seasons. He was a consistent and powerful runner whose grit and toughness made him a prototypical Packer.

But he too reached the twilight years of his career before the championship seasons in 1966 and 1967. He also had to share the ball with Hornung.

Taylor was certainly a great Packer, but the remaining members of this list had careers that overshadowed his. 

6. Reggie White

The Minister of Defense may have been 31 years old when he signed as a free agent for the Green Bay Packers, but his arrival ushered in the first championship era since Vince Lombardi's teams of the 1960s.

The younger generations of Packer fans have had it easy. The team has been competitive nearly every season for the past 20 years, and this is a drastic difference from the shape the franchise was in during the 1970s and 1980s.

This continued to get worse when Tony Mandarich turned out to be one of the biggest busts in NFL draft history, and Packers fans were reminded of this every time they watched Barry Sanders, who was taken one pick after the offensive lineman.

But general manager Ron Wolf acquired Brett Favre in 1992 and convinced White to sign in Green Bay. With Favre leading the offense and White leading the defense, both units ranked No. 1 in the NFL during the 1996 season. Come playoff time, they could not be stopped and rolled to the franchise's first Super Bowl in 39 years.

White is arguably the greatest defensive end ever to play football. He had a combination of speed, size and strength that has never been equaled by any other player. If he had played his entire career in Green Bay, he undoubtedly would have been much higher on this list.

His most productive seasons came as a Philadelphia Eagle, which is why five other players rank above him. But he was a dominant player during his years with Green Bay and his decision to sign with the Packers turned them into a championship-caliber team.

5. Ray Nitschke

Ray Nitschke is one of the most intimidating players ever to put on a helmet. His terrifying glare inspired the line by Brian Piccolo's character in the movie Brian's Song, "The only thing I'm allergic to is Nitschke."

He was the anchor of the great Green Bay Packers' defenses of the 1960s. His fearsome presence in the middle caused opposing offensive players to be truly scared to run their route if it required going near No. 66.

Although his vicious tackles are the most prominent part of his legacy, he was a consummate leader and linebacker. He was disciplined and technically sound, allowing him to be the centerpiece of a defense filled with talent.

If Nitschke played for another franchise, he would almost certainly rank higher than No. 5 on a list of the greatest players in team history. But only the Chicago Bears have sent more players to the Hall of Fame, and Nitschke has plenty of competition among the men who have played in Green Bay.

Ultimately, the biggest factor working against Nitschke is that he is not a quarterback. QB is the most difficult and important position in football, and an offense cannot function at a high level without a prolific player under center. 

A quarterback's leadership qualities must be a cut about the rest of his teammates, and the position requires an unwavering belief in one's own abilities. There are three QBs in the Packers' history who have made an everlasting mark, and they will be featured in the next four spots. 

4. Aaron Rodgers

As was previously mentioned, younger generations of Green Bay Packers fans are extremely lucky. Having one MVP quarterback take over for another is a rare occurrence in the NFL, but Aaron Rodgers grabbing the reigns from Brett Favre is the most recent occurrence. 

The start to Rodgers' career has been truly spectacular. He became the only player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 or more yards in each of his first two seasons.

Rodgers has turned into the most efficient quarterback in football, and this is a trend that has continued since he took over as a starter. Rodgers threw his 100th touchdown pass this past season against the Atlanta Falcons, and the Elias Sports Bureau noted that his 34 career interceptions at the time of this milestone was the fewest in NFL history.

He finished the year with 45 touchdowns and six interceptions, becoming the only quarterback ever to throw that many passes for scores while recording so few interceptions. The standard mark of efficiency for quarterbacks is passer rating, and Rodgers' mark of 122.5 in his 2011 MVP campaign is also an NFL record. 

But Rodgers' most important accomplishment did not come in his best statistical season. The 28-year-old started playing at a remarkably high level during the 2010 playoffs and took the Packers to their fourth Super Bowl championship in franchise history. 

With both the league and Super Bowl MVP awards already on his résumé, the only factor keeping him from topping this list is time. If he continues to perform at a similar level, he will earn more awards and more championships while continuing to break records. 

While his potential is unlimited, the top three spots on the list are reserved for players who have already delivered greatness over a long period of time. 

3. Brett Favre

Brett Favre certainly draws strong emotions from Green Bay Packers fans, but they are not always feelings of admiration.

The way No. 4 left Lambeau Field will forever tarnish his legacy as a Packer. Still, his accomplishments during his time in Green Bay were incredible.

He started his first game in a green and gold uniform on September 20, 1992, and another quarterback did not receive the first snap of a regular season game until the 2008 season. His ability to suit up and play in 322 consecutive games is a remarkable achievement that will forever make him one of the greatest players ever to play in the NFL.

He also has the career records for touchdowns, passing yards and completions. On his journey to these milestones, he picked up three consecutive MVP awards from 1995-1997 and won the Super Bowl in the 1996 season. 

However, the end of his career featured a few lackluster seasons where Favre was clearly playing hurt and was unable to compete at a high level. Then came the retirement fiasco that led to him being traded to the New York Jets.

In the end, Favre believed that he deserved to be treated differently than the rest of the players on the Green Bay roster, and general manager Ted Thompson disagreed. He refused to allow Favre's wavering on his decision to retire, and in hindsight, he clearly made the right decision to move on from the Favre era.

But heading to New York is not what broke the hearts of so many Packers fans. He did this when he chose to sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

This was an awful way to end his career in the eyes of many Packers faithful. Had he gone out wearing any other color but purple, he likely would have been No. 1 or No. 2 on this list. 

2. Bart Starr

Bart Starr did not have Brett Favre's arm. In fact, one could argue that he didn't have Matt Hasselback's arm. 

He did not have Aaron Rodger's mobility or accuracy. From a talent standpoint, he was a mediocre quarterback with few special qualities. 

That is why he was taken in the 17th round of the 1956 draft and rode the bench until Vince Lombardi saw that his heart and his head would make him a Hall of Fame quarterback. 

Starr had nerves of steel on the football field and the blood running through his veins was colder than frozen turf on Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967.

This was the day of the legendary "Ice Bowl," where Starr's quarterback sneak at the end of the game won a third consecutive NFL championship for the Packers and cemented Starr's legacy as one of the all-time great Packers. 

Starr led by example on the field, always coming through in the big moments. He was the 1996 NFL MVP and a five-time NFL champion who played his entire career with the Packers.

These accomplishments make him the greatest Packer quarterback in team history. But as long as Aaron Rodgers is still suiting up, that statement should always be followed by, "For now." 

1. Don Hutson

Hutson was a receiver under player/coach Curly Lambeau from 1935-1945, and was the first man to play the wide receiver position as we know it today. As David Whitley cleverly muses, “Hutson was football's Copernicus, proving that the universe did not revolve around the run,” via ESPN.

Hutson's abilities completely changed the sport. He was the first man to allow offenses to throw the ball down the field. The prolific passing offense that the Green Bay Packers have today has origins in the revolutionary changes brought about by Hutson. 

When NFL.com released a list of the 100 greatest players in the league's history, Hutson ranked at No. 9. This was higher than any other Packer except Reggie White, whose place on the list was largely influenced by his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

When Hutson retired, he held 18 different NFL records. Ones that have yet to be broken include being the only person ever to score four touchdowns in a quarter and leading the league in scoring in five consecutive seasons.

His phenomenal abilities made him one of the greatest football players ever, and he still remains the greatest Packer in franchise history.

Starr had all the mental qualities of a quarterback, but he was never a dominant player like Favre, Hutson and Rodgers.

The train wreck that was the end of Favre's career did enough to tarnish his legacy and keep him out of the top spot. 

But for Rodgers, becoming the greatest Packer in history is well within his reach. If he continues on his current pace, that title could be his in just a few years.