Don Hutson

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Don Hutson

Date of birth	January 31, 1913
Place of birth	Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Date of death	June 24, 1997 (age 84)
Place of death	Rancho Mirage, CA
Position(s)	End
College	Alabama
Career Highlights
Awards	1942 Joe F. Carr Trophy 1941 Joe F. Carr Trophy
Honors	NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 1930s All-Decade Team Green Bay Packers HOF
Retired #s	Green Bay Packers #14
Records	Green Bay Packers Career Receiving TDs (99)
Stats
Statistics	Pro Football Reference CBS.com DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1935-1945	Green Bay Packers
College Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1963

Donald Montgomery Hutson (January 31, 1913 - June 24, 1997) was the first star wide receiver in NFL history.

Hutson is credited with creating many of the modern pass routes used in the NFL today. He was the dominant receiver of his day, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. He joined the Green Bay Packers out of the University of Alabama in 1935 and retired in 1945 after 11 seasons.

1 NFL Career
- 1.1 Wide Receiver
- 1.2 Defense & Special Teams
2 Post Career Honors and Recognition
3 Other end in Rose Bowl
4 External links

[edit] NFL Career

[edit] Wide Receiver

In an era when successful passing attacks were virtually unheard of, Don Hutson and the Green Bay Packers flourished via the air. Some consider Hutson the greatest wide receiver ever. Hutson held 18 major NFL records at the time of his retirement. Several of these records stood for decades. Twice, in 1941 and 1942, he was named the league’s MVP. Hutson was the first receiver to catch more than 50 passes in a season (1941) and to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season, when in 1942, he caught 74 passes for 1,211 yards and 17 TDs in just 11 games. In all, Hutson caught 488 passes for 7,991 yards. He rushed for three touchdowns and returned three interceptions for touchdowns for a career total of 105. Hutson led the NFL in receptions eight times in his 11 seasons, including five consecutive times (1941-1945). He led the NFL in receiving yards seven times, including four straight times from 1941-44. He led the NFL in scoring five times (1941-45). [1].
Hutson still holds the highest career average TDs per game (0.85) for a wide receiver. Fans of the Packers received a preview of things to come in Hutson's first game. On his first ever play, Hutson caught an 83 yard touchdown pass from Arnie Herber. It was the first of 99 receiving touchdowns, an NFL record that would stand for 44 years after his retirement.

[edit] Defense & Special Teams

For many of his 11 seasons, Hutson was also the kicker for the Packers. He added 172 extra points and 7 field goals for another league record, 823 points.

As did almost all players in his day, Hutson played both offense and defense. On defense, Hutson was a very good safety who intercepted 30 passes over the final 6 years of his career. Hutson's highest season total was in 1943, when Hutson intercepted 8 passes in only 10 games.

[edit] Post Career Honors and Recognition

Hutson has been honored in a variety of ways. Don Hutson Street in Green Bay is named for him, his #14 was the first number retired by the Packers, he is a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, and in 1994 the Packers named their new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility across the street from Lambeau Field the "Don Hutson Center". Hutson was a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Current and former Packer executives, such as Bob Harlan and Ron Wolf have traditionally referred to Hutson as the greatest player the game has known.

In 1999, he was ranked number 6 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the highest-ranking Packer and the highest-ranking pre-World War II player.

In 2005, the Flagstad family of Green Bay donated an authentic Packers #14 jersey worn by Hutson to the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame. The jersey was found in a trunk of old uniforms in 1946 at the Rockwood Lodge, the Packers’ summer training camp from 1946 to 1949, owned by Melvin and Helen Flagstad. The jersey, a rare NFL artifact valued at $17,000+, was donated by son Daniel Flagstad in memory of his parents.

Although many consider Jerry Rice as the best receiver ever some critics believe Hutson could have been as good as Rice if he'd played in the same era. Hutson played in an era where the run dominated the game, there was no pass interference rule and when players played both offense and defense.

[edit] Other end in Rose Bowl

Coach Bear Bryant always said he was the "other end" on the University of Alabama football team that had both Bear and Don Hutson. That Crimson Tide team won the Rose Bowl in 1935 beating Stanford 29-13 with Hutson catching 6 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Hutson had been selected All American in 1934.