Ranking the top 25 wide receivers in NFL history…
Signed by the Green Bay Packers in 1935 out of the University of Alabama, where he was a consensus All-American and retroactive Heisman winner, Hutson revolutionized the wide receiver position in an era when passing was secondary.
Without an NFL draft at the time, he chose Green Bay over Brooklyn for better pay and immediately made an impact, catching an 83-yard touchdown on his first play and leading the league with six touchdown receptions as a rookie.
Over 11 seasons with the Packers (1935-1945), Hutson dominated, leading the NFL in receptions eight times, receiving yards seven times and touchdown catches nine times. He helped secure three NFL championships (1936, 1939, 1944), including a pivotal role in the 1936 title game.
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Standout seasons included 1942, when he set records with 74 receptions, 1,211 yards and 17 touchdowns—the first 1,000-yard season ever—earning his second consecutive MVP award.
In 1941, he became the first to catch 50 passes in a season (58 for 738 yards, 10 TDs), and in 1945, he scored four touchdowns in one quarter against Detroit, a record performance.
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Hutson’s career totals: 488 receptions, 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns. He earned eight All-Pro selections and was a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, named to the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary Teams.
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Hutson’s standout attributes were his blazing speed (nicknamed “Alabama Antelope”), precise route-running—he invented patterns like the chair route—and exceptional hands, making him a dual-threat on offense and defense. His playing style was pioneering and innovative: a vertical threat who exploited mismatches with agility and intelligence.
In many ways, Hutson was the first great wide receiver.
But who ranks ahead of Hutson at [No. 8 all-time](https://nesn.com/2025/08/nfl-all-time-wr-rank-no-8-cris-carter/)?
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Featured image via Green Bay Press-Gazette via USA TODAY NETWORK