5. Tony Canadeo (1941-1952):
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1974
The only running back in team history with his number retired is Tony Canadeo. No other player will ever wear No. 3 in Green Bay again — that is really saying something.
Canadeo was also the first running back to rush for 1000 yards in a season in Green Bay History (1949). The “Gray Ghost of Gonzaga” is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-1940s team, a decade in which he helped lead Green Bay to a World Championship (1944).
The fifth-best running back in team history didn’t have particularly impressive size or speed, but he dominated the league anyway. He is remembered as a dogged, strong-willed player that simply wanted it more than others. For that, his name will hang above Lambeau Field until football is no longer played, with his number not to be worn again.
4. Ahman Green (2000-2006, 2009):
The Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading rusher is the appropriately-named Ahman Green (8322 rushing yards). He was, arguably, the best player for the Packers in the 2000s. His rushing ability was that of a coveted combination of size, speed, and shiftiness.
His talent reached it’s pinnacle in 2003 when he ran for 1883 yards, but totaled 2250 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns — both Packers’ records. Six times he rushed for more than 1000 yards in a season while in Green Bay and he was known for breaking long rushes with regularity (his longest being a 98 yard rush). It is true that he had some issues with fumbling in his career, but his production far exceeded those blemishes.
Green’s ability to stay on his feet was underrated throughout his entire career and his vision with the ball might have been the best this team has ever had. His legacy was definitely overshadowed by his living-legend quarterback. His team’s never won a title, but it was not his fault, as he averaged 4.4 yards per rush in the playoffs. Green Bay has yet to consistently duplicate it’s success on the ground since the days of Green.
Obviously, his post-career arrest in 2017 tarnishes a bit of his legacy as a Packers great, but it doesn’t take away from what he did on the field.
3. Paul Hornung (1957-1966):
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1986
One of the most colorful characters in Packers’ history is also one of it’s greatest running backs — Paul Hornung. The good looking, gambling, versatile runner could do it all on the football field. And he did.
In 1961, he won the AP MVP award and he was a staple in the backfield for four championships in the Vince Lombardi era. His 65 touchdowns speak for themselves, but he kicked, passed, and most-impressively blocked with great ability, too. That’s right, throughout his career he made 66 field goals, threw five touchdown passes, and was routinely the lead blocker in the “Packers’ Power Sweep.” Without him, Lombardi’s Packers don’t achieve such great hights.
He led the league in touchdowns in 1960 and was twice named First-Team All-Pro. Hornung is one of the biggest names in football history; the “Golden Boy” deserves that recognition. When he was on the field, Green Bay was always a threat to score.
2. Clarke Hinkle (1932-1941):
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1964
The NFL’s all-time leading rusher at the time of his retirement, Hinkle’s dominance carrying the ball will forever be remembered in Green Bay. This is especially true because the Packers of today practice on Clarke Hinkle Field (one of three practice facilities utilized on Lambeau Field’s grounds).
He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1930s Team and his 44 career touchdowns, while playing primarily in the 1930s, are rather eye-popping. He led the league in touchdowns in 1935 and was named first-team All-Pro four times. His two NFL championships with the Packers helped turn Green Bay into Titletown USA. In an era of tough running, he shined above the rest.
Few players have ever dominated their generation with as much effectiveness as Hinkle did against his Great Depression era foes. The names that are ranked lower than Hinkle on this countdown tell the real story of how remarkable of a player he was for the Packers. He was bested by only one man.
1. Jim Taylor (1958-1966):
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1976
The greatest running back in the history of the Green Bay Packers is none other than Jim Taylor. He was a runner that never went down easily; he always fought for the next yard.
Perhaps the greatest thing that can be said about Taylor is that during Jim Brown’s brilliant career with the Cleveland Browns, he led the league in rushing eight times in his nine seasons. The one year Brown didn’t lead the league, Taylor did. That year was 1962, when Taylor ran for 1474 yards and scored 19 total touchdowns in just 14 games — he was named league MVP for his efforts.
Taylor’s career was filled with big moments, but none were bigger than his 1961 championship game performance against the Giants. He willed the Packers to victory for their first championship of the Vince Lombardi era. He would help the Packers win three more championships, while scoring an astonishing 93 touchdowns along the way (the most by any Packers running back and the second-most in team history).
He was the Packers’ all-time leading rusher at the time of his retirement, with 8207 yards, and he will always be remembered as the focal point of the famed “Packers’ Power Sweep.” As the NFL became America’s favorite sport in the 1960s, he was one of the game’s biggest stars, and most-feared backs.
Taylor is a symbol of what a star running back (or fullback) used to be; a fiery competitor covered in mud and blood, laughing at the pain. He will not be forgotten in Green Bay. There has never been a tougher player to don the green and gold. I’m going to say it now, it would be hard for any future back to ever pass him on this list.
Honorable Mention: James Starks, Gerry Ellis, Eddie Lee Ivory, Tom Moore, Curly Lambeau, and Howie Ferguson.
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