The Packers put Green Bay, Wisconsin, on the map. Quarterbacks have made the Green Bay Packers one of the NFL's flagship franchises. To be a starting quarterback for the Packers is a prestigious accomplishment.
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Names like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers are obvious when considering the best Packers quarterbacks of all time. Who is No. 1, and who else rounds out the top five in Green Bay Packers history, though?
These are the top five QBs ever to call Lambeau Field home. Apologies to fans of the other NFC North teams — the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings — for conjuring up any bad memories.
5 Best Green Bay Packers Quarterbacks, Ranked
5. Don Majkowski
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The "Majik Man" was an average pro football quarterback. Case in point: he finished his Packers run with 56 passing touchdowns and 56 interceptions. That being said, in 1989, he had a notable regular season. Majkowski made the Pro Bowl after leading the NFL in passing touchdowns. He's fifth on this list because the Packers are a bit top-heavy in their quarterback history. After a six-year run with the Packers, Majkowski moved on to the Colts to make room for another guy on this list.
4. Lynn Dickey
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If you weren't around in the '80s, you might not remember Dickey's name. This was a dark time in Packers history. Dickey came over from the Houston Oilers and took over as the Packers' starter. After a slow start, he had big seasons in 1983 and 1984. Dickey led the NFL with 32 passing touchdowns and 4,458 passing yards in 1983. He's a member of both the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fames.
3. Bart Starr
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Now we get to the iconic trifecta of Packers lore. Starr's numbers are dwarfed by the top two, but he played in an era before quarterbacks were putting up crazy statistics.
As a passer, Starr was almost unparalleled in his era. Starr spent his entire NFL career in Green Bay. He, and head coach Vince Lombardi, were responsible for making the Packers the team of the '60s. Starr led Green Bay to wins in the first two Super Bowls ever, once over the Chiefs and the Raiders. He was MVP of both of those games as well. That wasn't the only postseason success he had. Before the Super Bowl's existence, Starr led Green Bay to three NFL championships.
2. Brett Favre
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In the 1992 offseason, the Packers traded a first-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a young, unproven quarterback named Brett Favre. Everybody save for maybe Majkowski ended up happy with that. Favre helped revitalize the franchise after he took over against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second game of the 1992 season. He was named the NFL MVP three seasons in a row. Favre led the Packers to their first Super Bowl win since Super Bowl II over the New England Patriots in 1996. The following year they returned to the Super Bowl but lost to the Denver Broncos.
Favre would eventually play for the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, but he was a Packer through and through. He would eventually become the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns by surpassing Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino. However, he no longer holds either record. He still leads Green Bay in career yards and touchdowns. So why is he only second on this list? He was a bit of a compiler, and he was not always careful with the ball. Favre also retired as the career leader in interceptions. In a close battle, that dropped him to second.
1. Aaron Rodgers
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In the end, it's the quarterback that replaced Favre that tops this list. Rodgers was drafted in the first round when Favre was still around, leading to awkward training camps and preseasons. Eventually, the Packers pulled the trigger, and it worked out just fine. Rodgers is the better quarterback. He's a three-time MVP winner like Favre. On top of that, he's had plenty of playoff success as well. Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, named the MVP.
And yet, the Packers may be saying goodbye to their all-time best quarterback soon. Much as with Favre, the Packers decided to look toward their future under center. They decided to move from a non-threatening backup in Brett Hundley by spending a first-round pick on Jordan Love. Love is the heir apparent to Rodgers, but Rodgers is not happy with that. Looking to make a point, plus a happy collaboration with new head coach Matt Lafleur, may have fueled that 2020 MVP campaign.
In the end, Rodgers tops Favre because he's so efficient and reliable. He doesn't throw interceptions and has the best career touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history. In recent memory, only legends like Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints (and San Diego Chargers, we suppose) have been as efficient with the ball for as long.
By transitioning from Favre to Rodgers, the Packers have had a Hall of Famer under center for three decades. Appreciate it while you can, Green Bay fans. Those who root for teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns can attest to how tough it can be to find a franchise quarterback.
