McGinn Wrap, Part 11: The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers special teams

Bob McGinn's look back at his several decades covering the Packers continues with special teams. What made Jarrett Bush so unique? Crosby or Longwell? The definitive rankings inside.

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No position on the Green Bay Packers can compare to quarterback when it comes to an uninterrupted run of sensational performance by two players for more than three decades.

The exploits of the Packers’ last three kickers over an even longer span of time, albeit with a year’s interruption, deserve an honorable mention in the category of sustained success.

In 1988, the Packers cycled through four kickers, and to no avail. Max Zendejas, Dale Dawson, Dean Dorsey and Curtis Burrow combined to make 13 of 25 field-goal attempts and 23 of 29 extra-point attempts. Lindy Infante, the first-year coach, talked of staging “punt, pass and kick” contests across the country to alter the laugh track.

The 1989 draft saw vice president Tom Braatz select Chris Jacke, a one-year wonder from Texas-El Paso, in the sixth round. That pick signaled an about-face in the team’s kicking fortunes that has lasted 34 years. Jacke was money for eight seasons before wearing out his welcome.

The Packers wanted to plug in Brett Conway, who was drafted in the third round right after Jacke’s departure, but that plan failed to materialize. Instead, general manager Ron Wolf saved the day by claiming Ryan Longwell off waivers from San Francisco one day after the rookie reporting date in 1997.

Longwell was even better than Jacke during his nine seasons. In March 2006, GM Ted Thompson elected to let Longwell walk to Minnesota as an unrestricted free agent. A month later, Thompson claimed Dave Rayner off waivers from Indianapolis. Rayner beat out veteran Billy Cundiff and provided an adequate season before Thompson selected Mason Crosby in the sixth round of the 2007 draft. With 252 games played, Crosby is four away from breaking Brett Favre’s club record for games played/consecutive games played.

In the last 34 years just five men have attempted a field goal for the Packers. That would be the aforementioned Jacke, Longwell, Rayner and Crosby plus Craig Hentrich, the distinguished punter who hit three of five field goals during the 2 ½ games in 1995 when Jacke was out with a hamstring injury.

As previously set forth, this is my All-Packers team picked from players that were on the roster from 1979-’21, the years that I covered the team. Today, the focus is special teams.

When it comes to the kicking game, the Packers rank at or near the bottom of the heap during my 43-year run. The punters were below average, the long snappers were solid, the kick returners were subpar and the powers-that-be too often failed to understand the importance of procuring standout core players for special teams.

Kicking, however, was an entirely different matter. In fact, trying to rank Crosby, Jacke, Longwell and Jan Stenerud based on their careers in Green Bay proved more taxing for me than any position on offense or defense.

Here’s the order that I ended up with: Longwell, Crosby, Jacke and Stenerud. But ask me tomorrow and it might be different.

The first of Stenerud’s 3 ½ seasons in Green Bay was 1980, a time when kicking remained an adventure and the “sinewy Norwegian,” in the descriptive parlance of Packers publicist Lee Remmel, was well enroute to his Hall of Fame enshrinement. But Stenerud’s numbers for the Packers were modern-day good.

Combining regular-season and playoff statistics from their years in Green Bay, I compared the foursome’s career numbers in field-goal percentage, percentage from 50-plus, percentage from 40-49 and extra-point percentage. Here were the results.

FG accuracy: 1. Stenerud, 63 of 77 (.818); 2. Crosby, 414 of 507 (.817); 3. Longwell, 241 of 298 (.809); 4. Jacke, 188 of 246 (.764).

50-plus accuracy: 1. Jacke, 19 of 28 (.679); 2. Stenerud, two of three (.667); 3. Longwell, 13 of 23 (.565); 4. Crosby, 44 of 80 (.550).

40-49 accuracy: 1. Crosby, 105 of 140 (.750); 2. Longwell, 64 of 91 (.703); 3. Jacke, 41 of 68 (.603); 4. Stenerud, 13 of 22 (.590).

Extra-point accuracy: 1. Longwell, 396 of 401 (.988); 2. Jacke, 329 of 334 (.985); 3. Crosby, 790 of 810 (.975); 4. Stenerud, 122 of 126 (.968).

Each kicker won one metric. Add up the four rankings and they’re almost dead even.

Another part of the job description is kicking off, and Crosby owns a wide advantage. He also is a master of the onside kick and easily the most dependable tackler.

My final consideration was their average league-wide ranking in field-goal percentage based on each season of their careers in Green Bay. Stenerud’s less than partial season in 1980 was thrown out. It should be noted that there were only 28 teams during Stenerud’s three full seasons, there were 28 teams in Jacke’s first six seasons and 30 in his last two, and there were 30 in Longwell’s first three seasons, 31 in his middle three and 32 in his last three. Crosby has been in a 32-team league for his entire career.

Based strictly on field-goal accuracy, here were the kickers’ year-by-year rankings in chronological order and then their average ranking as a Packer:

Stenerud: 1, 11, 9. Average: 7.0.

Jacke: T7, 10, T11, 13, 6, 21, 21, 19. Average: 13.5.

Longwell: T12, T4, 12, 10, 28, 8, 4, T7, 26. Average: 12.3.

Crosby: 24, 26, T25, T22, 10, 31, 13, 23, T15, 8, 24, 23, 5, T1, 29. Average: 18.6.

Stenerud owns the clear advantage in the rankings. Using my annual grades for each player, Longwell averaged 7.33 in nine seasons (B-minus) whereas Crosby averaged 6.47 in 15 seasons (C-plus). A cumulative career average for Jacke wasn’t possible because my grading didn’t start until 1991, which was his third season.

In the end, I went back to years of service and relegated Stenerud, with less than half as many games played as the others, to fourth.

Everyone made and missed their share of game-winning kicks. Crosby kicked off far better than Longwell but Longwell’s league rankings were far better. Jacke was phenomenal from 50-plus. Crosby had the advantage of kicking off a partially synthetic surface at Lambeau Field for his entire career whereas the others all had to deal with the old grass field at a time when late-season weather in Green Bay was more severe. Jacke’s kickoffs late in his career were awful. Longwell’s kickoffs were short throughout.

Here, then, is the All-McGinn special teams covering the past 43 seasons in Green Bay.

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KICKERS

First Team: Ryan Longwell, 1997-’05 (144 regular-season games played).

Second Team: Mason Crosby, 2007-’21 (241).

Third Team: Jan Stenerud, 1980-’83 (45).

Others: 4. Chris Jacke, 1989-’96 (126); 5. Al Del Greco, 1984-’87 (46); 6. Dave Rayner, 2005 (16); 7. Chester Marcol, 1972-’80 (102); 8. Max Zendejas, 1987-’88 (18); 9. Tom Birney, 1979-’80 (13); 10. Eddie Garcia, 1983-’84 (19).

Overview: In Longwell’s second game for the defending Super Bowl champions, he blew a 28-yard attempt with 11 seconds and the Packers lost, 10-9, at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium. He also missed from 28 as time expired in 1999 as the Bears prevailed, 14-13, at Lambeau Field. The next season, however, he booted three game-winners before coming through with four more in 2004. The Packers let him walk as a free agent in 2006 and, in six seasons for the Vikings, he made 86% … After beating out Rayner, Crosby hit from 42 to beat the Eagles, 16-13, on opening day of his rookie season. After a lackluster showing from 2008-’10, he kicked his first-game winner since the ’07 opener in 2011. Crosby took a paycut in early 2013 after his brutal performance in ’12 and rebounded with five B seasons in a row. His greatest year was 2020 when he was 16 of 16 in the regular season and four of four in the postseason … After watching Jacke cash three game-winners as a rookie, special-teams coach Howard Tippett said of his charge: “He’s got so much confidence in himself.” Jacke seemed immune to pressure for five years, and made All-Pro in 1993. His career nosedived after that with grades of C-minus, C-minus and C-plus from 1994-’96 … The Packers were treading water with Marcol and Birney when Stenerud came aboard with a month remaining in 1980. The next year, he set an NFL record for accuracy (22 of 24, .917). In ’83, he faced five kicks in overtime or the closing seconds of regulation and made them all … New coach Forrest Gregg really liked Eddie Garcia, a 10th-round draft in 1982 who relieved Stenerud (and his tender ankle) on kickoffs in the second half of ’83. Shortly before the start of his first training camp in 1984, he traded the 41-year-old Stenerud to Minnesota for a seventh-round pick. After Garcia made 3 of 9 in the first seven games of ’84, Gregg cut him. “You want me to bare my soul to you?” Gregg said. “I made a mistake.” … Del Greco, a small but steady performer, took over for Garcia and made 50 of 75 (.667) over three seasons. Released in November 1987, he went on to a career that lasted 17 seasons and was marked by a field-goal percentage of .773 … Rayner kicked for six more teams through 2011 after hitting 26 of 35 (.743) for the Packers … Marcol enjoyed phenomenal success as a rookie in 1972 and again in ’74 but was no better than average in six seasons after that … Birney, summoned from his teaching job in Cass City, Mich., to replace the faltering Marcol in 1979, had two of his first three extra points blocked. He blew two chip-shot attempts in 1980 at Tampa in a 14-14 tie … Gregg went with Zendejas over Del Greco in mid-1987 after the former went 7 for 7 in three scab games. Zendejas quickly fell apart in 1988.

PUNTERS

First Team: Craig Hentrich, 1994-’97 (64).

Second Team: Tim Masthay, 2010-’15 (96).

Third Team: Josh Bidwell, 2000-’03 (64).

Others: 4. Sean Landeta, 1998 (16); 5. Jon Ryan, 2006-’07 (32); 6. Justin Vogel, 2017 (16); 7. Bucky Scribner, 1983-’84 (32); 8. Bryan Wagner, 1992-’93 (23); 9. David Beverly, 1975-’80 (86); 10. Don Bracken, 1985-’90 (80); 11. Paul McJulien, 1991-’92 (25); 12. JK Scott, 2018-’20 (48); 13. Jacob Schum, 2016 (16); 14. Corey Bojorquez, 2021 (17); 15. Jeremy Kapinos, 2008-’09 (20); 16. Derrick Frost, 2008 (12); 17. Louie Aguiar, 1999 (15); 18. Bryan Barker, 2004 (16); 19. Ray Stachowicz, 1981-’82 (25); 20. Joe Prokop, 1985 (9); 21. B.J. Sander, 2005 (14); 22. Bill Renner, 1986-’87 (six).

Overview: Several times over the years Ron Wolf has said the only free-agent loss during his decade as general manager that damaged the team was Hentrich. He went on to make a pair of Pro Bowls for Tennessee. Some oldtimers hailed Hentrich as the Packers’ best punter since Verne Lewellen (1924-’32) … Landeta, the longtime Giant, was out of football in 1997 before being coaxed back to replace Hentrich in ’98. Landeta tied for eighth in net with 37.1, then a club record, but wasn’t re-signed … Aguiar was awful as Landeta’s successor in ’99 before Bidwell offered steadiness for four seasons. The Packers erred in March 2004 by letting him walk to Tampa Bay as a free agent … The next month, Mike Sherman actually traded up for a punter (Sander), who wasn’t ready and was carried as an inactive second punter all season. Barker, 40, demonstrated how washed up he was in ’04. Sander ranked 31st in net (33.9) in 2005, botched several holds contributing to Longwell’s long season and was history after that … Ryan, a CFL refugee, showed a booming leg and immense potential during two acceptable seasons. At the end of training camp in 2008 the Packers jettisoned Ryan, who went on to punt for 10 seasons in Seattle, in favor of the veteran Frost. He lasted 12 games before being axed for Kapinos, who had an OK leg but no touch … After the tumult of the 2000s, the Packers finally got it right in 2010 with Masthay, who first had to beat out Aussie Chris Bryan in a tense training-camp duel. Masthay, a superb holder, graded B-minus, B-plus, B-minus and B-minus from 2010-’13 before tailing off to D and C in his final two seasons. Released Aug. 30, 2016, he never punted again … Schum did C-minus work in 2016. He was followed the next year by Vogel, a rookie free agent who ranked seventh in net with a club-record 41.6. Not satisfied, the Packers drafted Scott in the fifth round and, when agent Drew Rosenhaus requested Vogel’s release shortly after the draft, the front office foolishly complied. A hang-time specialist with minimal directional ability, Scott’s net rankings were tied for 26th, 24th and 28th. He was a fine holder, but perhaps nothing could save him in Green Bay after he turned down chances to tackle the returner on long gainers … With Scott gone, GM Brian Gutekunst traded a sixth-round pick for Bojorquez, who was allowed to walk as a free agent after a C-minus campaign included some lousy holds for Crosby … Beverly, 6-2 but reed-thin, held on to his job for six turbulent seasons … The decision to draft Stachowicz in 1981 to replace Beverly backfired. His nets were 31.4 and 32.4. “It could be a psychological factor that he freezes up,” said Dick Rehbein, the special-teams coach … The left-footed Scribner beat out Stachowicz (some fans were calling him “Stinkowicz” by then) in 1983, and in ’84 Scribner was a Pro Bowl alternate. Then, on Sept. 3, 1985, Gregg cut him and signed the untested Prokop. “Sometimes you gamble a little bit,” explained Gregg. “If this one doesn’t work out I will be the one you can blame.” Said Scribner: “Forrest couldn’t have f----- me more. I’ll be lucky to kick this year. You’re doing it in the worst conditions of anybody in the NFL. For up here, my (statistics) were unbelievable. Jan (Stenerud) told me it’s physically impossible to be an all-pro in Green Bay.” Prokop was a total flop and so, after nine games, Bracken was called away from his carpentry job in Ann Arbor, Mich., to take over. He did mediocre work until his release in August 1991. Bracken sat out the last three games of ’86 because of a dislocated right elbow. Although the Packers had erected an indoor facility in 1982, Gregg preferred practicing outdoors ala Lombardi. Bracken was injured as he tried to punt only to slip on the frozen field three days before a game against Minnesota. Said Bracken: “I can’t believe it happened.” … Renner suffered three blocked punts in the three games that Bracken missed before returning for three scab games in ’87 … Claimed on waivers the same day Bracken was released, McJulien graded as a C in 1991 but fell apart in ’92 and was cut after nine games. He blamed Nolan Cromwell, the special-teams coach, for his demise, claiming he had been overcoached … Wagner did a workmanlike job to finish ’92; in ’93, he beat out Matt Turk, who went on to make three Pro Bowls in a 16-year career. Wagner’s 42.9 gross average in ’93 was the team’s best in 20 years. Stashed on the practice squad in ’93, Hentrich beat out Wagner in ’94.

LONG SNAPPERS

First Team: Rob Davis, 1997-’07 (167).

Second Team: Blair Bush, 1989-’91 (48).

Third Team: Brett Goode, 2008-’17 (152).

Others: 4. Frank Winters, 1992-’02 (156); 5. Larry McCarren, 1973-’84 (162); 6. Hunter Bradley, 2018-’21 (56); 7. Charlie Ane, 1981 (15); 8. Bill Cherry, 1986-’87 (28); 9. Mark Cannon, 1984-’89 (68); 10. Kani Kauahi, 1988 (16); 11. Larry Rubens, 1982-’83 (25); 12. Steven Wirtel, 2021 (nine); 13. Mark Chmura, 1992-’99 (89); 14. Buddy Aydelette, 1980 (nine); 15. J.J. Jansen, 2008 (none).

Overview: Davis snapped for the Bears in 1996 before joining the Packers in mid-1997 when long snapper Paul Frase underwent back surgery after being injured at practice. Davis quickly became a fixture not only because of his fast, accurate snaps but also as a tough guy. A one-time bodyguard for Dennis Rodman, he reveled in taking on the role of enforcer in and around piles and skirmishes. Oversized for the position at 6-3 and 285, Davis still made 47 tackles in 10 ½ seasons (4.48 average), forced one fumble and recovered another. In 2007, as the oldest snapper (38) in the NFL by 2 ½ years, he failed to make a tackle for the first time in his career. He also endured the worst game of his career on a windy, cold late-December afternoon at Soldier Field in a 35-7 defeat … After not re-signing Davis, the Packers were high on J.J. Jansen to be his replacement before the rookie free agent suffered a season-ending knee injury in the final exhibition game of 2008. Goode, who was signed a few days later, was so effective that Jansen was traded to Carolina the following April. Presently in his 14th season with the Panthers, Jansen has never missed a game. Goode wasn’t quite as consistent as Davis but performed admirably for most of his 10 seasons. A limited athlete, he made merely 15 tackles in his career. In December 2015, he suffered a torn ACL but was able to play two more seasons. Rick Lovato, who replaced Goode in late 2015, currently is in his sixth season as the Eagles’ long snapper … The oft-injured Bradley was drafted in the seventh round of 2018 to replace Goode. Just four long snappers had been drafted from 2010-’17. Bradley’s grades were D, D-plus and D-minus in three full seasons before he was cut after eight games last season. He made merely five tackles in 56 games … Wirtel, an oddity as a left-handed snapper, was shaky over the final 10 games and was cut in August … Bush, the Bengals’ first-round pick as a center in 1978, started for them and the Seahawks for 11 seasons before joining the Packers as a Plan B free agent. He started in 1989 before giving way to James Campen in 1990-’91. Before Bush’s final season, Howard Tippett, the special-teams coach, called him the NFL’s premier deep snapper. He also chipped in 14 tackles in three seasons … Ane was the Packers’ first pure long snapper. He retired after 1981, his only season … Before Ane’s arrival, McCarren generally handled those duties in addition to being the starting center … Cherry, Cannon, Kauahi and Rubens all were backup centers first and long snappers second. At various points they all relieved McCarren of his special-teams chores … Winters, the starting center in the 1990s, snapped much of the time, too. In 1996, Nolan Cromwell, the special-teams coach, said Winters could do the job “but was no Blair Bush.” … Chmura was erratic on some punt snaps in 1995 … It wasn’t until 1997, Mike Holmgren’s sixth season, that the Packers signed a pure snapper. That was nine-year veteran Harper LeBel, who received a $25,000 signing bonus. The Packers cut LeBel at the end of camp and traded for Frase … One of the longest days for a Packers’ deep snapper occurred in November 1980 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. That’s when Aydelette snapped one ball over the head of David Beverly for a safety and another that was so high that Beverly could only get off an incomplete pass and led to a touchdown. That was the difference in the Packers’ 22-20 defeat.

DUAL KICK RETURNERS

First Team: Desmond Howard, 1996, ’99 (24).

Second Team: Robert Brooks, 1992-’98 (96).

Third Team: Micah Hyde, 2013-’16 (63).

Others: 4. Steve Odom, 74-’79 (75); 5. Randall Cobb, 2011-’18, ’21 (117); 6. Allen Rossum, 2000-’01 (22); 7. Trevor Davis, 2016-’19 (31); 8. Roell Preston, 1997-’98 (17); 9. Antonio Chatman, 2003-’05 (48); 10. Will Blackmon, 2006-’09 (32); 11. Tramon Williams, 2007-’14, 2108-’19 (159); 12. Antonio Freeman, 1995-’01, ’03 (116); 13. Walter Stanley, 1985-’88 (48); 14. Jeff Query, 1089-’91 (48); 15. Phillip Epps, 1982-’88 (85); 16. Charles Jordan, 1994-’95, ’99 (20); 17. Bill Schroeder, 1994, 1997-’01 (74); 18. Vai Sikahema, 1991 (11); 19. Tyler Ervin, 2019-’20 (12); 20. Jordy Nelson, 2008-’17 (136); 21. Mark Lee, 1980-’90 (157); 22. Freddie Nixon, 1980-’81 (23); 23. Johnnie Gray, 1975-’83 (124).

Overview: In many ways, the Packers’ return game during my 43 years began and ended with Howard. In the 31st Super Bowl, the MVP returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown just when New England was threatening to pull an upset. In 19 games, he averaged 23.8 on kickoffs and 16.2 on punts. He gained 20 or more yards on 17 of his 67 punt returns, 30 or more on 10. Of the 116 returns that he fielded he fumbled only once. Howard, with five returns for touchdowns, has two more than any other Packers player over the last 43 years … In the 25 seasons since 1996, which was the last time the Packers led the NFL in punt-return average, they’ve had just five top-10 finishes. Moreover, they’ve had merely three top-10 finishes on kickoff returns in that span … In 1993, Brooks became the Packers’ first kickoff champion since Odom in 1978. The next year he returned kickoffs 96 and 85 yards for touchdowns … Hyde came out of left field to become one of the league’s ace punt returners … Odom, with 243 returns, had far more attempts than the runner-up, Chatman, who had 186. Odom (5-8, 174) was tiny but extremely fast ... Cobb returned a kickoff for 108 yards, breaking Al Carmichael’s club record of 106 that had stood for 54 years, in his first game. He detested fair catches and touchbacks. He also was a fumbler, losing six of 14 on returns … Rossum was undersized but aggressive, too … By 2018, Davis was blossoming into one of the NFL’s best when a season-ending hamstring injury upended his career … In 1998, Preston averaged 26.3 to lead the NFL in kickoffs and become the Packers’ first Pro Bowl return man since Odom in 1975. He also fumbled nine times, losing four … Chatman lacked a second gear but was steady as they come. In three seasons he never fumbled a punt … Blackmon took three of his 113 returns to the house before a blown knee cost him dearly … Williams, Query, Epps and Lee were solid … Freeman fumbled seven times as a rookie returner but was a genuine threat … Stanley was out of control but, when it comes to swivel hips and make-you-miss, he had few equals … Schroeder had elite size and speed but Mike Holmgren couldn’t put up with his fumbling.

KICKOFF RETURNERS

First Team: Corey Harris, 1992-’94 (37).

Second Team: Najeh Davenport, 2002-’05 (39).

Third Team: Jeff Janis, 2014-’17 (51).

Others: 4. Don Beebe, 1996-’97 (26); 5. Charles Wilson, 1990-’91 (30); 6. Robert Ferguson, 2001-’06 (60); 7. Ty Montgomery, 2015-’18 (36); 8. Mike McCoy, 1976-’83 (110); 9. Javon Walker, 2002-’05 (48); 10. Del Rodgers, 1982-’84 (23); 11. Brent Fullwood, 1987-’90 (45); 12. Aundra Thompson, 1977-’81 (63).

Overview: In 1993, when the Packers led the NFL in kickoff-return average, Harris averaged 30.1 in 16 returns and Robert Brooks averaged 26.6 in 23. “Before Corey got hurt I would say I wasn’t sure there was anyone quite as good as Corey,” Mike Holmgren said in July 1994. “Now I’m not sure I could say who is better.” … The 250-pound Davenport averaged 31.6 in 2003 but his 16 returns failed to qualify for the individual title … Janis had great size and great speed, albeit in a straight line … In 1996, Beebe’s average of 26.9 in 15 returns outdid even Howard … Wilson could really run but wasn’t dependable … Fullwood might be best remembered for the mid-August night at broiling Sun Devil Stadium against Denver in the first exhibition game of his rookie season. As he rolled down the sideline ahead of the Broncos, he decided to change hands with the ball inside the 10 and fumbled. The ball struck the turf at the 2 and bounced through the end zone, giving the Broncos possession at the 2. Instead of a 100-yard return and six points, Fullwood had a 98-yard return and lost fumble. It marked the first snap of Fullwood’s extremely disappointing career as the fourth player selected in the 1987 draft. The next day, one Arizona newspaper dubbed the debacle “Fullwood’s Folly.”

PUNT RETURNERS

First Team: Charles Woodson, 2006-’12 (100).

Second Team: Ron Pitts, 1988-‘90 (44).

Third Team: Mike Prior, 1993-’98 (80).

Others: 4. Terrell Buckley, 1992-’94 (46).

Overview: Woodson returned 33 punts for Michigan but averaged a modest 8.6. In his first eight seasons for Oakland he brought back just 12 punts. “He wants to do it,” special-teams coach Mike Stock insisted in July 2006 before Woodson’s first training camp in Green Bay. “He’s done it some but they had Tim Brown there.” So Woodson was the Packers’ primary punt returner for two seasons, averaging 8.9 in 2006 and 8.1 in ’07. His long return was 40 yards. He made only seven fair catches. Fielding 82 punts as a Packer, he fumbled just once. In 2008, as Stock considered other return candidates, he said, “Plus, you’ve always got the secure guy in Woodson.” The Packers moved on that season with Will Blackmon, then Jordy Nelson in ’09, Tramon Williams in ’10 and Randall Cobb for two years … Not long before the start of training camp in 1989, Howard Tippett thought back to ’88 when Walter Stanley (12 returns, 4.3) and Sterling Sharpe (nine, 5.3) were back on punts most of the season and danced too much to suit his tastes. “We just didn’t have anybody who stuck it up in there until we went to Pitts,” the coach said. Pitts’ nine returns down the stretch netted 10.3. Without his 63-yard return for a touchdown in the season finale at Arizona, the Packers probably wouldn’t have beat the Cardinals, 26-17. Had the Packers lost, they would have drafted Troy Aikman No. 1 in 1989 rather than Tony Mandarich at No. 2 … Alleged to have reliable hands, Prior had seven fumbles … On the red-letter day in September 1992 when Brett Favre supplanted injured Don Majkowski, Buckley made his debut after an extended holdout with a 58-yard return for a fourth-quarter touchdown in what became a 24-23 come-from-behind triumph over Cincinnati. After that, he fumbled a truly incredible seven times in 24 runbacks (losing four) and was benched in favor of Robert Brooks. In 1993, Buckley stumbled again and asked to be taken off punts after seven games. His removal was by mutual agreement after the Chicago game at Lambeau Field in which he forgot to take the field on one punt, misjudged another and ran backward for a 6-yard loss on a third. In 1994, his final season as a Packer, he wasn’t allowed to return.

CORE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS

First Team: Jarrett Bush, 2006-’14 (137).

Second Team: Travis Jervey, 1995-’98 (56).

Third Team: Marcus Wilson, 1992-’95 (48).

Others: 4. John Dorsey, 1984-’88 (76); 5. Chris Banjo, 2013-’16 (37); 6. Jim Gueno, 1976-’80 (75); 7. Steve Wagner, 1976-’79 (57); 8. Tracy White, 2006-’08 (32); 9. Desmond Bishop, 2007-’12 (69); 10. Guy Prather, 1981-’85 (73); 11. Tim Hauck, 1991-’94 (58); 12. Lamont Hollinquest, 1996-’98 (46); 13. Jeff Janis, 2014-’17 (51); 14. Scott McGarrahan, 1998-’00 (44); 15. Mike Prior, 1993-’98 (80); 16. Jayrone Elliott, 2014-’16 (38); 17. Cliff Lewis, 1981-’84 (57); 18. Paris Lenon, 2002-’05 (64); 19. Mike Weddington, 1986-’90 (52); 20. Tiger Greene, 1986-’90 (72); 21. Jermaine Whitehead, 2016-’18 (19); 22. Corey Harris, 1992-’94 (37); 23. Burnell Dent, 1986-’92 (95); 24. K.D. Williams, 2000-’01 (28); 25. Donald Driver, 1999-’12 (205); 26. Jason Hunter, 2006-’08 (42); 27. Oren Burks, 2018-’21 (59); 28. Tod McBride, 1999-’02 (61); 29. Sean Richardson, 2012-’15 (30); 30. William Henderson, 1995-’06 (188); 31. Mike McCoy, 1976-’83 (110); 32. Doug Evans, 1993-’97 (79); 33. Gary Hayes, 1984-’86 (42); 34. Mark Murphy, 1980-’91 (147); 35. Torrance Marshall, 2001-’04 (51); 36. Robert Ferguson, 2001-’06 (60); 37. Bernardo Harris, 1995-’01 (111); 38. Derrick Martin, 2009-’10 (19); 39. Brady Poppinga, 2005-’10 (81); 40. John Kuhn, 2007-’15 (139). SPECIAL CATEGORY: Gary Lewis, 1981-’84 (44); Ezra Johnson, 1977-’87 (148); Barty Smith, 1974-’80 (67).

Overview: During Bush’s nine seasons as the physical and emotional leader of special teams in Green Bay the Packers’ average in Rick Gosselin’s rankings was 15.2. In the seven seasons since his departure the Packers’ average rank was 25.9. Bush squeezed out a lengthy career because he knew his lot in life, outworked everyone and was both fast and fearless as a gunner/hold up man. The Packers have published their tackling totals on special teams since 1976. Bush is the career leader with 123. He also had five takeaway plays (fumbles forced, fumbles recovered) … Befitting their status as the NFL’s worst in the kicking game for a generation, the Packers have had only one core player voted to the Pro Bowl. That was Jervey in 1997 … Wilson and White delighted in being regarded as special-teams aces … Dorsey owns the team’s single-season tackling record with 35 in 1984 … Banjo, 32, is still playing after being cut by the Packers in November 2016. He has started just five games for the Saints and Cardinals in the last 6 ½ seasons but captains special teams … In the late 1970s coach Bart Starr had outstanding core players in Gueno, a linebacker, and Wagner, a safety. Wagner had seven takeaways and Gueno accumulated six … Bishop made 52 tackles in his three seasons as a special-teamer before finally getting a chance to play linebacker … Prather had 34 tackles in 1981 … Hauck was a poor man’s Chuck Cecil as a kamikaze … Scouts began selecting an All-NFC Central/North Division team for me in 1994. The Packers had six players make all-division as the special teams ace, including Jervey (1997), Hollinquest (’98), McGarrahan (’00), Bush (’12, ’14), Richardson (’14) and Burks (’18) … Janis was a tremendous gunner in the mid 2010’s … Prior couldn’t really run but he lined everyone up, which the coaches loved … Hayes, a diminutive cornerback, registered five takeaways … Greene blocked two punts in 1990 and made himself a general nuisance for opponents … Whitehead was a thinking man’s teamer … Driver made the roster on teams as a seventh-round pick … In the special category, Lewis deserves top remembrance. In the nine-game regular season of strike-shortened 1982, the tight end stood over center and blocked kicks (three field goals, one extra point) in four straight games for what likely is a record. In the Super Bowl Tournament opener (playoffs) against St. Louis, he blocked an extra point and a field goal. In the same game, Neil O’Donoghue pulled two other field goals off to the side as if he were attempting to avoid the leaping Lewis. A second-round draft choice in 1981, Lewis (6-5, 234) possessed a 35-inch vertical jump. His career ended in early 1984 because of pulmonary blood clots … As a rookie in 1977, Johnson blocked two field goals and two extra points … As the upback on the field goal/extra point protection unit Smith used to knock the daylights out of rushers as they attempted to turn the corner.

Next: Random rankings.

Subscribers, catch up on Bob McGinn’s exceptional series right here:

• The Packers' A players, 1991-2021… Learn what made Sterling Sharpe one of the game’s forgotten stars.

• The Packers’ A-minus players, 1991-2021… How did Donald Driver emerge out of nowhere?

• The Packers’ F players, 1991-2021… It hasn’t always been Jamal Reynolds and the busts

• The Packers’ A team grades, 1991-2021… Why the ‘96 group was an all-time team.

• The Packers’ A-minus team grades, 1991-2021… Oh, what could’ve been in 1997.

• The Packers’ F team grades, 1991-2021… Special teams have been a problem.

• The Packers' offensive career arcs… The careers of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in total context

• The Packers’ defensive/ST career arcs… Get a sense for how the players on defense progressed.

• The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers offense… Favre or Rodgers? Green or Jones? Sharpe, Lofton, Adams?

• The 1979-2021 All-Time Green Bay Packers defense… We know Reggie White, LeRoy Butler and Charles Woodson were all-timers. Who else rounds out the squad?