The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers have competed in the National Football League (NFL) since 1921, two years after their original founding by Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. [1] They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) and play their home games at Lambeau Field in central Wisconsin. [2] [3]
Starting with the 1938 NFL season, the NFL instituted an All-Star Game that pitted the league's championship team against a team made-up of the best players from the remaining teams. [4] Five of these exhibition games were played, with the last occurring after the 1942 NFL season before the NFL reduced the number of teams and games in the season due to players serving in World War II. [5] [6] The first official Pro Bowl occurred in 1951 following the 1950 NFL season. [7] From the 1950 season until the 1969 season, the exhibition game was played between teams representing the Eastern and Western Conferences of the NFL. [8] After the American Football League (AFL) merged with the NFL in 1970, the game was played between teams representing the NFC and the American Football Conference (AFC). The conference team format remained until 2014 when the NFL shifted to a fantasy football format with teams selected by captains from the full pool of Pro Bowl selectees. This format only lasted for three seasons before it reverted back to the conference team format from the 2016 to 2021 NFL seasons; [7] this period included the cancellation of the 2021 Pro Bowl due to the COVID-19 pandemic (teams were still selected and players were still recognized as Pro Bowl selectees). [9] Starting with the 2023 Pro Bowl after the 2022 NFL season, the NFL again changed the format; instead of playing an exhibition game, the Pro Bowl was converted to series of skill competitions that culminated in a non-contact flag football game. [10]
Pro Bowl selections are made by a cumulative vote by three groups that hold equal weight: coaches, players and fans. [7] Based on the results of the vote, each team is filled out based on generic positions on offense, defense and special teams. [11] Prior to the institution of the Pro Bowl Games in 2023, the players with the most votes were named starters, while the remainder of the selectees were reserves. [12] In the event that a Pro Bowl selectee is unable to participate in the Pro Bowl, either due to health reasons or the fact they are playing in the Super Bowl right after the Pro Bowl, alternates are named in the players' place. These players are still considered official Pro Bowl selectees. [13] The coaching staffs for each team have been selected in various ways, with the common option being the coaching staffs of the team with the best record in each conference who were not going to the Super Bowl given the honors. [14] With the onset of the Pro Bowl Games, the NFL now selects the coaching staffs for the flag football game. [15] Players for each team are paid for their participation, with a higher sum going to the winning team. [16] Throughout the life of the Pro Bowl, awards have been given out to recognize the best player or players of the game. From 2016 to 2022, an award was given to an offensive and defensive most valuable player (MVP). [5]
The Packers have had representatives at the Pro Bowl every year since 1950 except for nine seasons. The Packers' first selections in the inaugural Pro Bowl in 1951 were running back Billy Grimes and defensive tackle Ed Neal. The 1963 Pro Bowl and 1968 Pro Bowl each included nine Packers, the most that the team has ever sent to the Pro Bowl. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers holds the team record for most Pro Bowl selections with 10, while Forrest Gregg (nine selections), Brett Favre (nine selections) and Willie Wood (eight selections) round out the top four. [17] Four Packers have been given a Pro Bowl MVP award. [5] The most recent Pro Bowl selectee for the Packers was Kenny Clark for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games. [17]
† | Selected as the NFL MVP for that season |
Season | All-Star Game | # of Packers selected | Players (# of All-Star Games with Packers) | Position [lower-alpha 1] | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 | January 1939 | 3 | Cecil Isbell (1) | Back | [18] |
Russ Letlow (1) | Guard | ||||
Clarke Hinkle (1) | Fullback | ||||
1939 | January 1940 | N/A [lower-alpha 2] | N/A | N/A | [19] |
1940 | December 1940 | 4 | Charley Brock (1) | Back | [20] |
Clarke Hinkle (2) | Fullback | ||||
Don Hutson (1) | End | ||||
Carl Mulleneaux (1) | End | ||||
1941 | January 1942 | 3 | Larry Craig (1) | Back | [21] [22] |
Don Hutson (2)† | End | ||||
Cecil Isbell (2) | Back | ||||
1942 | December 1942 | 4 | Charley Brock (2) | Back | [23] [22] |
Larry Craig (2) | Back | ||||
Don Hutson (3)† | End | ||||
Cecil Isbell (3) | Back | ||||
* | Selected as Pro Bowl MVP [lower-alpha 3] |
† | Selected as the NFL MVP for that season |
Jerry Lee Rice is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 20 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers before two shorter stints at the end of his career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. Nicknamed "World" because of his superb catching ability, his accomplishments and numerous records, Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in NFL history. His biography on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website names him "the most prolific wide receiver in NFL history with staggering career totals". In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players". In 2010, he was chosen by NFL Network's NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players as the greatest player in NFL history.
Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. is an American former football linebacker who played his entire 17-year career for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he earned All-America honors.
Charles Cameron Woodson is an American former football defensive back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. He spent his first 14 seasons as a cornerback and his final four as a safety. Woodson played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning the Heisman Trophy as a junior. To date, he is the only defensive player to win the Heisman.
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, before being selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, spending 18 seasons with the team. He is regarded among the greatest and most talented quarterbacks of all time.
Jeffrey Chad Clifton is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for 12 seasons with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Packers in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. During his career, he was named to two Pro Bowls and was part of the team that won Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Cameron Tyler Jordan is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, and was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Jordan is an eight-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro selection, and is the Saints' all-time franchise sack leader.
Fletcher Cox is a former American football defensive tackle who spent his entire 12-season career with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State, and was drafted by the Eagles in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. During his career, Cox won one Super Bowl, was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, and was named an All-Pro four times.
Bobby Joseph Wagner is an American football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. Wagner also played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Davante Lavell Adams is an American football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Born in East Palo Alto, California, Adams attended Palo Alto High School where he played football and basketball. He played two seasons of college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs and was named a second-team All-American in 2013 before being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers.
George Krieger Kittle is an American football tight end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and was a first-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2023.
Joshua Jacobs is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. Jacobs rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, while being named to NFL All-Rookie Team in 2019 and to his first Pro Bowl in 2020. In 2022, he led the league in rushing yards with 1,653 and became the first Raider since 1985 to surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards. After four years with the Raiders, Jacobs signed with the Packers in 2024.