Retired Numbers

[Smidgeon]

So it seems that the Packers have historically retired one offensive and one defensive player's number from each championship era (once Favre gets his retired).

With the Packers being recent Super Bowl champs, who will end up on the wall from this championship era? Or does more of the story have to be written before that will be determined?

[Smidgeon]

I for one think the offensive player will be easy to choose, but the defensive player could be a lot more difficult simply because of all the candidates.

[red]

ours guys are so damn young that its almost impossible to know at this point

i think a-rod needs a nice long career at about the same level he's been playing at and he could go up on the wall. maybe dd? he's a great team leader and owns a lot of team records. maybe jennings breaks all those records? maybe finley becomes the greatest TE of all time?

on the other side of the ball woodson could be the guy, he's gonna be in the real hall of fame when its all said and done, and he'll be going in because of what he did as a packer. maybe tramon continues his amazing run? or collins? or i'd say it would be a safe bet to put money on mathews to have an incredible career and end up with the number retired

[HarveyWallbangers]

All of the retired numbers are for Pro Football Hall of Famers. Not just Hall of Famers, but legends. That rules out most guys--including Driver, Tramon, and Collins.

Offense: I think the only candidate is Rodgers. Who knows... maybe Jennings and Finley will be Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, but I have a hard time believing they'll be legends.

Defense: Two candidates - Woodson and Matthews.

If it happens, the odds are Rodgers and Woodson.

[Smidgeon]

All of the retired numbers are for Pro Football Hall of Famers. Not just Hall of Famers, but legends. That rules out most guys--including Driver, Tramon, and Collins.

Offense: I think the only candidate is Rodgers. Who knows... maybe Jennings and Finley will be Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, but I have a hard time believing they'll be legends.

Defense: Two candidates - Woodson and Matthews.

If it happens, the odds are Rodgers and Woodson.

That's what I was leaning towards too. And I also agree with Red. The team is mostly so young. The stories are still being written.

[KYPack]

I might be a voice in the wilderness, but I don't think 4 gets retired. At least not until the current regime leaves GB. That will probably happen within 4-5 years. So we might see a change, but as long as Ted is here, the retiring of a number between 3 and 5 will not happen.

There is enough bad blood from both sides to prevent any number retirement going on in that regard.

[Smidgeon]

I don't necessarily disagree. But I believe the number will be retired one day, even if it's after TT leaves. I think it's inevitable, regardless of the delay.

[woodbuck27]

All of the retired numbers are for Pro Football Hall of Famers. Not just Hall of Famers, but legends. That rules out most guys--including Driver, Tramon, and Collins.

Offense: I think the only candidate is Rodgers. Who knows... maybe Jennings and Finley will be Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, but I have a hard time believing they'll be legends.

Defense: Two candidates - Woodson and Matthews.

If it happens, the odds are Rodgers and Woodson.

Collins is making some inroads.

[woodbuck27]

I don't necessarily disagree. But I believe the number will be retired one day, even if it's after TT leaves. I think it's inevitable, regardless of the delay.

That's a certainty and sooner than a lot imagine.

[Smidgeon]

That's a certainty and sooner than a lot imagine.

That TT leaves? He just signed a 4 year extension. He's signed through 2015. How is that sooner than a lot imagine?

[KYPack]

So it seems that the Packers have historically retired one offensive and one defensive player's number from each championship era (once Favre gets his retired).

With the Packers being recent Super Bowl champs, who will end up on the wall from this championship era? Or does more of the story have to be written before that will be determined?

Thought we'd look at another angle to this question.

Here's the retired numbers:


1) 3 - Tony Canadeo
2) 14 - Don Hutson
3) 15 - Bart Starr
4) 66 - Ray Nitschke
5) 92 - Reggie White

There really haven't been an offensive and defensive player chosen to have their number retired from each of the championship eras. There's not really a defensive player from the Lambeau era. (of course, Hutson and Canadeo played both ways at times)

What was common from each candidate prior to Reggie was lifetime Packer who bled Green and gold. There was some opposition to Reggie when his number was proposed. He started with another team and finished the same. Reggie also manged to say a few rude things at the door before he left Green Bay. I think the next number that might be retired is #1. That was Curly Lambeau's playing number. Lambeau wasn't a Packer when he quit, but he was the founder and all that.

The Packers could quite possibly close the books on retiring another number or wait 20 years or so before doing so.

I think that 4 guy allowed to much purple blood to flow into his veins to ever get his number retired by the Pack.

[Tarlam!]

It would be no surprise to me if they didn't retire #4 at all, but he's already been given the offer once, right. How do you take that back? I think it would be a mistake to do it too soon anyway. If they do it until a lot of water flows under every bridge in WI, I'd say he'd get more boos than cheers at the ceremony. Personally, I would boycott the ceremony and head off into the vendors area. But hey, I feel very passionately about. Maybe that will subside in say, 20-30 years.

[Guiness]

I might be a voice in the wilderness, but I don't think 4 gets retired. At least not until the current regime leaves GB. That will probably happen within 4-5 years. So we might see a change, but as long as Ted is here, the retiring of a number between 3 and 5 will not happen.

There is enough bad blood from both sides to prevent any number retirement going on in that regard.

I'm pretty sure someone found reference (on the Packer's website) to BF's number being retired a couple of seasons ago, but that seems to be gone now.

[KYPack]

OK, I'll make this my last post on the subject, and then consider myself herded into the "thread that will not die".

The Packers said this in '08 & '09 (from Wiki, but referenced pretty good)

Quote on

After Brett Favre stated his intent to retire in May 2008, the Packers announced that his #4 would be retired in a ceremony during the team's 2008 opening game against the Minnesota Vikings.[48] The ceremony was cancelled following Favre's subsequent decision to return to the game, and he was traded to the New York Jets. In March 2009, the Packers indicated that the team still intends to retire Favre's number, but due to the circumstances surrounding his departure from the team, no timeline had been set.

Quote off.

I can't imagine any member of the Exec Council bringing this deal up for a good spell of time.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I don't see Woodson's number getting retired. As Harv said, you have to be a legend, not just a hall of famer. I don't think Woodson is at legenary status. The only players I could see is if Matthews continues his current play for the next 10 years and Rodgers conitnues his current play for another 7-10 years. They would both probably need to add another 1-2 championships as well. Favre will get retired one day.