With Asterisk, Only One Packers Player Makes ESPN’s All-Quarter Century Team

Since the start of the century, only two teams have won more games than the Green Bay Packers. Still, they were largely overlooked on ESPN’s 25-year team.

Julius Peppers embraces Nick Perry after the Packers won a playoff game at Dallas. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – During the first 25 years of the 21st century, only the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have won more games than the Green Bay Packers. With 54 more wins than the league median, it would stand to reason that the Packers would be well represented on ESPN’s Quarter Century Team.

That’s not the case, though. In fact, only one player with Packers ties made the 53-man roster assembled by Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder.

That’s Julius Peppers, who spent three years with the team. Of his 159.5 sacks and 52 forced fumbles in 17 seasons, he had 25 sacks and eight forced fumbles with Green Bay in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

“Thank you to the people of Wisconsin and Green Bay fans all over. Go Pack Go,” he said during his Hall of Fame speech. “That was three of the best years of my life.”

An ironman, Peppers played in 12 games as a rookie in 2002, then missed only two games the rest of his career.

“No player recorded more sacks this quarter century than Peppers,” Walder wrote. “There’s a fair critique that his numbers are a product of longevity, but he also had almost 20 more sacks than anyone in this span and a higher plus-EPA than any other player since 2001, period. One reason why he led that latter category over star linebackers – who are favored in the stat – is because Peppers’ (52) forced fumbles were the most since 2000.”

Two Packers players earned a spot on the 17-player practice squad.

At quarterback, Aaron Rodgers was behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes. Rodgers was a four-time first-team All-Pro and is No. 1 all-time in passer rating, but it’s hard to argue with who’s ahead of him.

At cornerback, Charles Woodson was behind Darrelle Revis, Champ Bailey, Ronde Barber, Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson. In the 2000s, Woodson ranks second with 59 interceptions, behind only safety Ed Reed. Of the five corners, Revis had the fewest interceptions with 29. Of the 44 players with at least that many, Woodson also was second in forced fumbles, third in sacks (Barber was first) and fifth in passes defensed.

Two-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams not only was behind Moss, Jefferson, Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison for a place on the roster, he didn’t join Antonio Brown and Andre Johnson on the practice squad. Two-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari wasn’t worthy of a practice-squad spot, either.

In the NFC North, the Packers’ 251 wins far outdistanced the Vikings (214, 12th), Bears (186, 22nd) and Lions (158, 30th). However:

- The Vikings had five players on the team (receivers Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson, guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive end Jared Allen and cornerback Adrian Peterson).

- The Bears had four players on the team (linebacker Brian Urlacher, returner Devin Hester, Peppers and Allen).

- The Lions had one player, receiver Calvin Johnson. This was a great nugget by Walder: “During Detroit’s infamous 0-16 season in 2008, Johnson managed 1,331 yards with Dan Orlovsky, Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna at quarterback.”

Here’s the full roster.