Packers, Assemble! Putting together the perfect Packers Avengers team

The Avengers work as an almost perfect analogy for a professional sports team. Both rely on big personalities and different skill sets to win the day, and people develop preferences and favorites for a whole host of different reasons.

Love the big, strong type? There’s plenty to choose from there. Prefer speed and agility? We’ve got something for you, too. Just want someone funny? There’s lots of that as well.

We thought it would be fun to try to assemble the best version of the Packers Avengers, lining up notable members of that team with their Packers counterparts. And yes, this is using an extremely broad interpretation of who’s on the Avengers, but it’s just comic books! That’s okay!

Who’s on your version of the Packers Avengers?

Captain America - Bart Starr

An All-American classic. A throwback. A great haircut. Someone who unites the whole team. Give Bart Starr a shield and he’s basically one injection of super-soldier serum away from being Captain America already. He might as well take over the role on our Avengers team.

Iron Man - Davante Adams

We could go with Brett Favre here, since he is a man seemingly made of actual iron. But Davante Adams fits well with another aspect of Iron Man: he’s got an answer for everything. With 400 different releases off the line, Adams can get around just about any coverage you can throw at him.

Hawkeye - Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is very accurate, has a history of head injuries, and gets frustrated with younger members of the team. It seems like he should be associated with a higher profile member of the Avengers, but Hawkeye just fits!

Nick Fury - Charles Woodson

In the MCU, Nick Fury first bursts onto the scene in the 90s but didn’t make a bigger impact on the world until he teamed up with some other noteworthy heroes years later.

In the NFL, Charles Woodson introduced himself to the world in 1997, but didn’t make a bigger impact on the NFL until he teamed up with late-era Favre and early-era Rodgers.

Both Fury and Woodson look good wearing slings.

The Incredible Hulk - Charles Martin

Martin essentially did to Jim McMahon what the Hulk did to Loki near the end of the first Avengers movie.

Agent Coulson - Blake Martinez

Always just kind of there, Coulson was a glue guy who helped keep everyone on the team together but never really made a major impact. Martinez will certainly be hoping to follow Coulson’s path with a resurrection on a new team leading to a bigger leadership role.

Doctor Strange - Jordy Nelson

Early on, both of these individuals had major issues with their hands, but they eventually learned to make magic — Nelson with his toe-tap catches along the sideline. They also have both been known to turn in huge performances when the pressure is at its highest.

Peter Quill/Star-Lord - Brandon Bostick

Ordinary guys with no innate special powers, both needed to just stick to the plan to clinch a big win. Unfortunately, they selfishly tried to play the hero in that big moment when everyone was counting on them, costing their teams huge victories.

Quicksilver - Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Jeff Janis

They’re fast! And...yeah, that’s really all there is.

Thor - Clay Matthews

Yes, obviously.

Thunderstrike - AJ Hawk

A weaker version of Thor who, for a brief period, looked as if he might be something more.

Rocket Raccoon - Jaire Alexander

Both are tenacious and pugnacious, and both have mouths that outpace their on-field performance at times.

Groot - Bubba Franks

Groot is a large, human-like tree and Bubba Franks is a large, tree-like human. And wouldn’t you watch a movie where Jaire Alexander and Bubba Franks team up and travel the galaxy working as mercenaries?

Wolverine - Brett Favre

Wolverine hasn’t joined the Avengers in the MCU (yet!), but he and Favre have a lot in common. Both originated in the middle of nowhere, both are beloved despite some less-than-savory personal attributes, and both have a tremendous ability to heal themselves and push through pain.

Spider-Verse - Running Backs

Aaron Jones - Peter Parker
Tyler Ervin - Miles Morales
Jamaal Williams - Eddie Brock (Venom)
AJ Dillon - Cletus Kasady (Carnage)
Dexter Williams - Peter Porker (Spider-ham)
Patrick Taylor - Spider-Man Noir

Aaron Jones is the wily veteran, defeater of many, hyper-efficient should-be Superstar, held under-the radar for a few years by less-than-scrupulous media coverage that focused on raw totals instead of rate stats, underplaying his greatness. Now having burst onto the scene he has been joined by his smaller, quicker compatriot in Tyler Ervin, the shifty missile of a hybrid back/wing/special team’s ace who can seemingly become invisible, and remains mostly untouchable to mortal would-be tacklers.

Jamaal Williams is often cast as the bad guy, but in reality he’s just looking for a place to fit in and his contributions to the team are even more undersold than Jones’ creating a nice narrative shift frequently found in Venom comics where he’s almost come around to hero status, but circumstances outside of his control, and similar but more severe than a challenge faced by Spider-Man, force him back into the villain role while his heart remains in a good place. Williams is still a great protector, and a good receiver, even if no one appreciates him, and may find his position on the team gone in short order, returning to villain-hood.

AJ Dillion is a larger, more aggro version of Venom that is quintessentially 90s, stuck in the past, and ultimately a waste of resources.

Dexter Williams possesses the same powers as Jones, but is ultimately just comic relief.

Patrick Taylor’s comics are only read by niche completists, but they’re surprisingly high quality and he may have something to offer if given a chance.