Five surprising individual Packers records

Without meaningful postseason implications to play for in the final week of the 2011 regular season, the 14-1 Green Bay Packers made the decision to start Matt Flynn against the Detroit Lions in front of the Lambeau Field faithful.

Few followers of the team knew that on that day, they would witness Flynn tie two Packers’ all-time passing records with 480 yards through the air and six touchdowns. Only Aaron Rodgers has shared that single-game success in Green Bay history, a surprising feat even almost seven years after the fact with the legendary quarterbacks to start under center in Green Bay.

Flynn’s achievements are not the only interesting facts in the Packers’ record book. Looking back on team history, here are five others that may surprise.

Career Tackles - A.J. Hawk - 1,118

Most remember Hawk as a steady, solid linebacker that was a fairly reliable member of the Packers’ defense, but never quite lived up to his fifth overall pick billing. But while Ray Nitschke or even Nick Barnett may be among the first to come to mind when thinking about the franchise tackling leader, Hawk still holds the top spot in team history.

Accumulating 1,118 tackles between 2005 and 2014 after playing in 142 of a possible 144 games for Green Bay, Hawk retired as a Packer in 2017. He figures to hold the team’s record for the foreseeable future.

Longest Punt - Don Chandler - 90 yards

With a friendly skip and roll or not, booting a ball 90 yards is impressive and that is what Chandler did in 1965 against San Francisco.

Traveling over 75 yards in the air, Chandler’s punt still rates as the longest in Packers history, with Jack Jacobs’ 78-yard kick falling next closest. The double-duty Chandler, who also served as the team’s placekicker, does not own the all-time NFL mark; that was set by Steve O’Neal in 1969 with an astounding 98-yard kick. But he does own an impressive feat that may never be matched by another Packer.

Sacks in a Game - Vonnie Holliday - 5.0

Green Bay’s former sack artists are a heavy-hitting crew with Wilie Davis, Reggie White, Tim Harris, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and Clay Matthews among the most recognizable names. But none holds the single-game record for sacks in a game. That honor belongs to Vonnie Holliday.

The former first round pick recorded a team-high five sacks in a December 2002 game against the Buffalo Bills. The best game of Holliday’s 15-year career was a nightmare for Drew Bledsoe, who fumbled three times as a result of Holliday’s constant pressure. One of those fumbles led to the Packers’ lone touchdown in a 10-0 win.

While Matthews currently paces all former Packers in terms of career sacks, Holliday still has lone possession of a special moment in franchise history.

Receiving Yards in a Game - Billy Howton - 257

Sterling Sharpe. Don Hutson. Donald Driver. The trio holds the grand majority of individual receiving records in Green Bay. But one of the few historical marks they do not hold is most receiving yards in a game, a record held by Billy Howton since 1956.

The pass-catcher spent seven seasons in a green and gold uniform, posting two 1,000-yard seasons and ultimately finding a place in the Packers Hall of Fame. But his performance against the Los Angeles Rams during the 1956 season in which he accumulated 257 yards on seven catches will remain in Packers lore for a long time.

Rushing Touchdowns in a Game - Terdell Middleton - 4 (Tie)

Ahman Green and Jim Taylor are frequent names atop the list of season and career rushing records. But a name you will also see on at least two occasions is Terdell Middleton.

Middleton rushed for over 1,000 yards once in his five-year career with the Pack, but set two long-held rushing marks with the team in 1978. On top of rushing for a Packers single-game high 39 times against Minnesota, Middleton also rushed for four touchdowns versus Seattle midway through the season. That particular feat ties Middleton for first in team history with Taylor and Dorsey Levens. While Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones will have a shot at breaking that record in the coming seasons, it would take one very special performance.