Packers Rookie Jersey Numbers: Here’s the History

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers first-round draft pick Matthew Golden chose No. 22 for his jersey number.

“My grandma, her favorite number was 2 growing up, and she told me she wanted me to represent that number,” Golden said at Packers rookie minicamp. “I knew the last receiver that was drafted [in the first round] was 2002, so I feel like it kind of made sense to me.”

Here are the best players in Packers history to wear each number.

First Round: No. 22, WR Matthew Golden

No. 22 is a strange number for a receiver. However, it was worn by Hall of Fame receiver Bob “Bullet” Hayes, who averaged 20.0 yards per catch and scored 73 touchdowns in his career. Packers legend James Lofton, another Hall of Famer, wore it during his one game with the Rams in 1993.

The number was last worn by cornerbacks Robert Rochell and Shemar Jean-Charles. No starter has worn it since cornerback Mark Lee 35 years ago.

The best Packers to wear No. 22:

End Lavvie Dilweg might be the best Packers player not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A member of the all-1920s team, Dilweg was a five-time All-Pro during a career that spanned 1926 through 1934.

Cornerback Mark Lee was a second-round pick in 1980. In 11 seasons with the Packers, he intercepted 31 passes. He had a pick-six in the playoff loss at Dallas in 1983.

Running back Elijah Pitts was a part of the Glory Years run of five championships. Pitts played 10 seasons for the Packers. In the 1966 playoffs, he rushed for 66 yards in the NFL championship game against Dallas and scored two touchdowns against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Second Round: No. 71, OT Anthony Belton

Center Josh Myers, who also was a second-round pick, wore it the last four seasons.

The best Packers to wear No. 71:

Guard Josh Sitton was a gold-standard guard during his eight seasons with the team. He was second-team All-Pro in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Linebacker Bill Forrester was a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Packers from 1953 through 1963. He intercepted 21 passes.

Defensive tackle Santana Dotson joined the Packers in free agency in 1996 and helped them win the Super Bowl. He had 29 sacks in six seasons in Green Bay.

Third Round: No. 83, WR Savion Williams

Cornelius Johnson, a practice-squad receiver, wore No. 83 last season. Before that, it was Samori Toure, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jeff Janis.

The best Packers to wear No. 83:

“When this kid puts his mind to something, he’s like a dog chasing a ball, man. He’s just going to be super-persistent, professional, do things the right way.”

Here's what TCU WRs coach Malcolm Kelly had to say about #Packers rookie Savion Williams. ⬇️https://t.co/XZVQOi27KZ
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 7, 2025

Defensive end Clarence Williams unofficially had 51 sacks for the Packers from 1970 through 1977, with double-digits sacks in 1972 and 1975.

Receiver John Jefferson was first-team All-Pro with the Chargers in 1979 and 1980, with 3,431 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns in three seasons in San Diego. He wasn’t nearly as impactful with the Packers with 2,253 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons, but he was a key part of some high-flying offenses.

Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling spent his first four seasons in Green Bay. He led the NFL with 20.9 yards per reception in 2020, when he scored a career-high six touchdowns.

Fourth Round: No. 99, DE Barryn Sorrell

This has been a black hole of a number, with none of the 15 players who wore it having distinguished himself. It was worn most recently by Jonathan Ford, a seventh-round pick in 2022 who spent two-and-a-half seasons on the practice squad but never played in a game.

The best Packers to wear No. 99:

Defensive tackle Corey Williams had back-to-back seasons of seven sacks for the Packers in 2006 and 2007 before playing for the Browns and Lions.

Linebacker John Dorsey started 15 games in five seasons and was a standout on special teams before a long career in NFL front offices.

Defensive end Charles Johnson started 27 games for the Packers in 1979 and 1980. He was released in 1981 but returned in 1983 to start seven more games.

Fifth Round: No. 45, LB Collin Oliver

The number was worn the last three years by linebacker Eric Wilson, who had 72 tackles and seven tackles for losses in 17 games (12 starts) last year. He was the Packers’ best No. 45 in almost a half-century.

The best Packers to wear No. 45:

“‘I’m here to play football.’ He loves the game. He wants to be great at it. He’s got that drive to just be different.”

Collin Oliver's coach on the #Packers' fifth-round pick.https://t.co/ARACCTrE7e
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 5, 2025

Back Arnie Herber wore eight numbers during his Hall of Fame career, including No. 45 in 1934, when led the NFL in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns and passer rating.

Back Verne Lewellen didn’t wear as many numbers as Herber – Pro Football Reference lists six, including No. 45 in 1928, when he scored nine touchdowns.

Cornerback Perry Smith played four seasons in Green Bay, including 1975, when he intercepted six passes.

Sixth Round: No. 91, DT Warren Brinson

Only 12 players have worn No. 91 in a game, the last being Preston Smith.

The best Packers to wear No. 91:

Edge Preston Smith was part of the big free-agent haul in 2019. He had 12 sacks during his debut season, then had 9.0 in 2021, 8.5 in 2022 and 8.0 in 2023 before he was traded to Pittsburgh last year.

Linebacker Brian Noble played before tackles were an official stat. He would have had a lot while starting 110 games in nine seasons.

Defensive end John Thierry spent two seasons with the Packers, with 6.5 sacks in 2000 and 3.5 sacks in 2001. He wasn’t great but he was better than first-round bust Justin Harrell and free-agent bust Joe Johnson.

Seventh Round: No. 26, CB Micah Robinson

Corey Ballentine wore No. 26 last year. Before that, it was former first-round pick Darnell Savage during his five seasons with the team.

The best Packers to wear No. 26:

Cornerback Herb Adderley intercepted 39 passes in nine seasons for the Packers, earning first- or second-team All-Pro six times. He is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a member of the all-1960s team and part of five championship teams.

Cornerback Tim Lewis was a first-round pick in 1983. He had 16 interceptions during his first three seasons, including a 99-yard pick six, but suffered a career-ending injury early in 1986.

Safety Darnell Savage was a first-round pick in 2019 who looked like a budding star with six interceptions and 17 passes defensed during his first two seasons. He had zero picks and just one PBU in 2023, but a pick-six at Dallas in the playoffs.

Seventh Round: No. 73: G John Williams

The number was worn last year by Andre Dillard. Before that, it was Yosh Nijman for four seasons.

The best Packers to wear No. 73:

“Man, when he got in the game, the lights were never too big for him. No fear. He just would go out there and execute.”

Here's what the O-line coach at Cincinnati had to say about #Packers' seventh-round pick John Williams. https://t.co/VR9K1WmB1E
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 6, 2025

Guard Daryn College started 76 games in five seasons with the Packers and was the starting left guard on the 2010 Super Bowl championship team.

Guard Aaron Taylor was the team’s first-round pick in 1994 but missed his rookie season due to a knee injury. He started 46 games from 1995 through 1997 and was part of teams that won Super Bowl XXXI and lost Super Bowl XXXII.

Tackle Alan Veingrad entered the league as an undrafted free agent but started 38 games in four seasons with the Packers, including all 16 in 1986 and again in 1989, when he kept Tony Mandarich on the bench.

Undrafted: No. 35, S Kahzir Brown and RB Jalen White

The best Packers to wear No. 35:

Running back Samkon Gado is the best of a sad group, with defensive backs Corey Ballentine, Ibraheim Campbell, Eddie Pleasant and Jermaine Whitehead being the most recent. Gado ran for 582 yards and six touchdowns during his one-year-wonder season of 2005.

Undrafted: No. 37, CB Johnathan Baldwin

Carrington Valentine wore No. 37 as a rookie in 2023.

The best Packers to wear No. 37:

Cornerback Sam Shields went from an undrafted receiver to a Super Bowl-winning cornerback. In six seasons with the Packers, he recorded 18 interceptions and 66 passes defensed.

Safety Mark Murphy – not to be confused with the former Washington Redskins safety and Packers president – intercepted 20 passes and started 122 games in 11 seasons.

Cornerback Tyrone Williams intercepted 19 passes and started 94 games in seven seasons with the Packers. As a rookie, he was part of the Super Bowl XXXI champions. He had four consecutive seasons of four-plus interceptions.

Undrafted: No. 46, CB Tyron Herring and RB Amar Johnson

There hasn’t been a noteworthy No. 46 since running back Vince Workman more than 30 years ago.

The best Packers to wear No. 46:

Defensive back Hank Gremminger was part of three Glory Years championships, including as a starter in 1961, when he intercepted five passes plus another in the blowout win over the Giants to win the title. He had 28 picks in 10 seasons with the team.

Safety Steve Luke started 75 games and intercepted 10 passes from 1975 through 1980.

Running back Vince Workman spent four seasons with the Packers. He scored 11 touchdowns in 1991 and rushed for 631 yards and caught 48 passes in 1992.

Undrafted: No. 48, LB Jamon Johnson

Practice squad players Messiah Swinson and Benny Sapp were the last to wear No. 48. Only one player of note has worn the jersey.

Cornerback Ken Ellis started 82 games, intercepted 20 passes and had three pick-sixes for the Packers from 1970 through 1975. He was first-team All-Pro in 1972 and a Pro Bowler in 1973 and 1974.

Undrafted: No. 60, G Tyler Cooper

Only one Packers player has worn No. 60 in a game since 1997: longtime long snapper Rob Davis.

The best Packers to wear No. 60:

Linebacker Lee Roy Caffey was a Pro Bowler in 1965 and a first-team All-Pro in 1966 as part of the Packers’ three-peat. In six years with the team, he started 75 games.

Linebacker John Anderson was the team’s first-round pick in 1978, earning all-rookie honors while wearing No. 60, before switching to No. 59 for the rest of his all-decade career.

Long snapper Rob Davis snapped in every game from 1998 through 2007.

Undrafted: No. 61, G J.J. Lippe

No player has worn No. 61 in a game since longtime long snapper Brett Goode wrapped up a 10-year career with the team in 2017. He is the best No. 61. Guard Bruce Van Dyke was the only player to start more than 15 games.

Undrafted: No. 72, OT Brant Banks

Other than one game by towering Caleb Jones in 2023, no Packers player has worn this number in a game since guard/center Jason Spitz in 2010.

The best Packers to wear No. 72:

Right tackle Dick Himes, who was all-Big Ten on defense at Ohio State as a junior and on offense as a senior, was drafted by the Packers in 1968, so just missed the Glory Years. He started 104 games in 10 seasons.

Right tackle Earl Dotson started 88 games for the Packers from 1993 through 2002 and was a vital cog on the Super Bowl teams.

Jason Spitz started 45 games for the Packers from 2006 through 2008 but missed most of 2009 with an injury and was a backup for the Super Bowl XLV champions in 2010.

Undrafted: No. 93, DT Nazir Stackhouse

The Packers lost the big man in the middle of their run defense, TJ Slaton, who wore No. 93 while starting every game the past two seasons. Can Stackhouse fill the void?

The best Packers to wear No. 93:

Defensive tackle Gilbert Brown was the big man in the middle of the Mike Holmgren-era Super Bowl defenses. “The Gravedigger” started 103 games in 10 seasons with the team, including all 16 for the Super Bowl XXXI champions.

Defensive end Robert Brown started 112 games for the Packers from 1982 through 1992 – including every game for his final seven seasons – and finished with 25.5 career sacks.

Defensive tackle Johnny Jolly as a sixth-round pick in 2006 started all 16 games in 2008 and 2009. He was suspended for three seasons but returned to play in 13 games with eight starts in 2013.