Bama in the NFL: Green Bay Packers Don Hutson, Bart Starr Simply the Best
For most Alabama Crimson Tide fans, the name Bart Starr is synonymous with the Green Bay Packers. He's the only quarterback in NFL history to lead a team to three consecutive league titles, which occurred in 1965-67 before the Super Bowl, was the MVP of both Super Bowl I and II, and was the league MVP in 1966.
But Don Huston's legacy is just as strong, if not stronger. The Packers' indoor practice facility was named in his honor, and in 2012 the NFL Network named Hutson the greatest Green Bay Packer of all time.
If you're not overly familiar with Hutson, think Jerry Rice 50 years before Jerry Rice was Jerry Rice. The Crimson Tide legend (when Paul W. "Bear" Bryant was Alabama's "other" end) revolutionized receiving during an era when football was still almost exclusively a running sport.
Tall, skinny and having deceptive speed, Hutson was considered the pioneer of modern pass patterns, the first to perfect the techniques of catching a pass “in traffic,” and made the end-around a potent weapon.
“For every pass I caught in a game, I caught a thousand in practice,” Hutson once said.
He played 11 years with Green Bay, 1935-45, was All-Pro eight times, led the league in pass receptions eight times, led the league in scoring five times, and was twice named the NFL's most valuable player (1941-42). He finished his pro career with 488 pass receptions, more than 200 more than the next best player.
His 99 career touchdown receptions stood as an NFL record for more than four decades, and his 29 points in a game has yet to be broken. When he retired, Hutson held 18 NFL records, most of which still stand.
He played both ways, as a safety on defense, and was credited with 30 interceptions during his final six seasons (no one kept track of the statistic until then) including eight in 10 games during the 1943 season. Hutson was also Green Bay's kicker. By making 172 of 183 extra points, and seven field goals, he scored a record 823 points.
Hutson was inducted as a charter member of both the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
“I don’t know if there is such a thing as royalty in professional football, but this is the closest I’ve ever come to it,” Packers general manager Ron Wolf said at the dedication ceremony for the Don Huston Center in 1994.
Bama in the NFL: Green Bay Packers
The Franchise
National Football Conference
North Division
Team Colors: Dark Green, Gold and White
Founded: 1919
Stadium: Lambeau Field (81,041)
Playing Surface: SISGrass
Training Camp: St. Norbert College
All-Time Alabama Players
Crimson Tide Drafted Players
Super Bowl Appearances
Bart Starr, Super Bowl I (Jan. 15, 1967) and II (Jan. 14, 1968)
Starr was named MVP of both Super Bowl I and II. In the inaugural Super Bowl he was 16-for-23 for 250 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Kansas City Chiefs. In Super Bowl II he was 13-for-24 for 202 yards and one touchdown, plus also had a carry for 14 yards against the Oakland Raiders. The Packers dominated both games, 35-10, and 33-14, respectively.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr during Super Bowl I at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
Steve Wright, Super Bowl I
He was a tackle on the first Super Bowl champion.
Charlie Peprah, Super Bowl XLV (Feb. 6, 2011)
The safety led all players with 10 tackles, including nine solo, while Aaron Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Steelers.
Major Honors/Awards
In conjunction with our revamped Bama in the NFL Database, this is the 12th story in a series examining the team-by-team history of Alabama's former players in the NFL.
AFC
NFC
See Also
Bama in the NFL: The Ultimate Crimson Tide Database
Bama in the NFL: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team
