By Mike Jacquart
- * Ted Fritsch, FB, 1942-50. A devastating blocker, Fritsch was named All-Pro in 1944, ’45, and’46. A Stevens Point grad, Fritsch led the Packers in scoring six times, which still ranks 12th in team history.
- James Jones, WR, 2007-13, 15. A third-round pick in ’07, Jones was a starter his rookie season. His 14 touchdowns in 2012 led the NFL. Jones’s 360 catches ranks 10th in team annals.
- Rich McGeorge, TE, 1970-78. A first-round pick out of tiny Elon College, McGeorge is one of the Packers’ most underrated players of all time. A good blocker and reliable receiver, his stats weren’t stellar, but that’s due to two reasons: the Packers ran the ball more than they threw it back then, and GB’s quarterbacks at the time were a pedestrian bunch.
- * Francis “Jug” Earp, T, C, 1922-24, 25-27, 28-32. Earp was an important player on the Packers’ three-time championship teams of ’29, ’30, and ’31. He also played for the Rock Island Independents, New York Yankees (football team), and Frankford Yellow Jackets. Jug was a cousin of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp.
- * Johnnie Gray, S, 1975-83. Signed as a free agent out of Cal-Fullerton, the hard-hitting Gray led the team in tackles his rookie season. Equally adept against the pass, he also paced the team in interceptions three times.
- * Billy Howton, WR, 1952-58. Howton is one of the best Packers receivers of all time, but he isn’t that well known because he had the misfortune of playing on some poor teams in the ‘50s just before Lombardi’s arrival. His 303 catches still ranks 16th all-time – and his 18.4 average per catch is only exceeded by Carroll Dale.
- * Carroll Dale, WR, 1965-72. Obtained in a trade with the Rams for Packers’ LB Dan Currie, the swift Dale was an integral receiver on three championship teams. His 275 catches ranks just behind Howton, and his blistering 19.7 average per catch is tops in team annals. J.J. Kelly High School in his home state of Virginia was named “Carroll Dale Stadium” in his honor.
- * William Henderson, FB, 1995-06. A third-round pick out of North Carolina in 1995, Henderson was just as home circling out of the backfield to catch a pass, as he was “stoning” a blitzing linebacker. His 320 grabs rank 14th all-time, and first among running backs. “Old Reliable” as he was called, played in 188 games in the Green and Gold, 5th most all-time.(*Hilarious video*)
- * Robert Brooks, WR, 1992-98. A third-round pick out of South Carolina, Brooks really came into his own in ’95, following a career-ending injury to Sterling Sharpe. His 102-catch, 13 TD, 1,497 receiving yard season in ’95 included a 99-yard hookup with Favre against the Bears. Brooks, a fan favorite, also popularized the Lambeau Leap.
- * Lavvie Dilweg, end, 1927-34. Perhaps the best offensive end in the pre-Don Hutson era, and a sure tackler on defense, Dilweg was a member of the NFL All-Decade team in the ‘20s. Somehow, he eluded induction into the Pro Football HOF.
Mike Jacquart is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Iola, Wisconsin with his wife, Debra and dog, Pepper Ann. He can be reached at [email protected].