The 5 best kickers in the history of the Green Bay Packers

Kicking is often mentioned in passing in the NFL, but this phase of the game can determine the outcome of division titles, playoff games and even Super Bowls. The Green Bay Packers have had years of stability at the position thanks to Mason Crosby, but is he the best kicker in franchise history?

The best kickers are the ones you don’t talk about. Much like a film editor, people only mention your name when you make a mistake. If fans are actually watching an extra point attempt, the kicker is probably under pressure.

It’s also one of the most unforgiving positions in all of sport. Even the most reliable and consistent kickers can find themselves out of a job after a string of poor performances. That’s how important it is.

Who are the best kickers in Packers history? That’s what we want to find out here.

Consistency and pressure management. If you don’t meet those two criteria, you probably won’t last long as an NFL kicker. It’s crucial to provide stability at the position to make kicks inside 40 yards look easy while also converting a good percentage of longer kicks.

The best of the best can do it when the whole world is watching. Whether it’s a game-winning hit in the regular season or a kick at key moments in a playoff game, the kickers who can do their job under immense pressure deserve special recognition.

Longevity is also a factor. It’s hard to play consistently year after year. Every player goes through difficult periods in their career, but the best can overcome them and regain their composure.

And what about the decisive moments? The decisive kicks when the season is on the line? Kicking in the NFL is usually a thankless job, but you can create moments that will be remembered forever.

5. Jan Stenerud (1980-1983)

Jan Stenerud had an incredible 19-year Hall of Fame career, including four seasons with the Packers. Despite coming to Green Bay at age 38, Stenerud provided the stability and consistency the team was looking for, converting 80.8 percent of his field goal attempts in 45 games, the third-best percentage in Packers franchise history.

In addition to his consistency, Stenerud also made kicks in the most important moments, including during the Packers’ 1982 playoff run. It was their only postseason appearance during Stenerud’s four-year stay in Green Bay, but he converted all four field goal attempts.

Stenerud had already spent 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before his arrival, but he continued to play at a high level for the Packers later in his career. In 1981, he was the NFL’s best field goal percentage with a 91.7 percentage.

Including his time with the Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings, Stenerud finished his career with one Super Bowl win, four All-Pro nominations, and four Pro Bowls. Importantly, he provided the Packers with the stability they desperately needed in the kicking game.

4. Chester Marcol (1972-1980)

How many footballers can say that they caught score a field goal of his own and run it in for a touchdown? Chester Marcol can do that. In a game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field in 1980, Marcol’s field goal was initially blocked, but bounced back into his arms, from where he carried the ball into the end zone – a legendary moment.

The Packers selected Marcol in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft, and he quickly proved they were right. In his rookie season, he led the league in field goal conversions, won the NFC Rookie of the Year Award, and even finished sixth in the NFL MVP voting. No, that’s not a typo. He received two MVP votes.

In nearly a decade with the Packers, Marcol was twice the league’s leading scorer and was twice named to the first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams. He holds the NFL record for most field goal attempts by a rookie and shares the Packers record for most field goal attempts in a single season. In 1987, Marcol was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

3. Chris Jacke (1989-1996)

It’s not easy to find consistency and stability at the kicker position. Chris Jacke provided that for eight seasons in Green Bay. He converted 77.2 percent of his field goals, the fourth-best mark in franchise history, and his 820 points scored are the fourth-best mark, just five points behind the legendary Don Hutson.

A sixth-round pick in 1989, Jacke made an impact quickly. His 78.6% field goal percentage earned him PFWA All-Rookie honors. Four years later, he was named First-Team All-Pro after setting a personal best by making 83.8% of his field goal attempts.

Perhaps Jacke’s most memorable moment came during the Packers’ Super Bowl season in 1996. A crucial game against the San Francisco 49ers went into overtime and Jacke sealed the victory with a 53-yard field goal that went right down the middle. He converted all 11 field goals in the postseason, including three in the Packers’ Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots.

2. Ryan Longwell (1997-2005)

Kicking for the Packers is a far tougher task than for a team in a dome. The conditions at Lambeau Field become challenging toward the end of the year, from swirling winds to having to kick a rock-hard ball in frigid temperatures. That’s what makes Ryan Longwell’s tenure with the Packers so impressive.

His name summed up his career perfectly. He spent a long time in Green Bay and consistently kicked the ball So.

An injury to starting guard Brett Conway opened up the opportunity for Longwell to kick, and he never looked back. In his first season, he converted exactly 80 percent of his field goals and made a league-high 48 extra point attempts, setting the standard he would maintain throughout his career.

Longwell holds the Packers’ all-time record for field goal percentage (minimum 100 kicks) at 81.6. He ranks second in franchise history for points scored with an incredible 1,054. In nine seasons, Longwell converted 226 of 277 field goals and 376 of 380 extra points. After leaving Green Bay, he was undoubtedly the Packers’ best kicker. That was until another player came along two years later…

1. Mason Crosby (2007-2022)

Sixteen yearsI repeat: sixteen years. People say the NFL should stand for “Not For Long,” and that’s especially true of the kicker position. Some kickers don’t even make 16 field goal attempts before they’re released.

Mason Crosby set the bar at a level that will likely never be surpassed by a Packers kicker. He set a franchise record by playing in 258 consecutive games. That’s an incredible accomplishment.

Crosby tops this list not only because of his durability, but also because of his ability to make kicks under extreme pressure. The former sixth-round pick holds the NFL record for most consecutive field goals in the postseason with 23. He didn’t miss a single playoff field goal between the 2011 NFC Championship Game and the same round of the 2017 postseason.

He built his career on game-winning kicks, from his 51-yard kick that surprised the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 Divisional Round to his 48-yard kick under difficult conditions that saved the Packers’ season in the 2014 NFC title game. Crosby converted 12 game-winning kicks in his career with the Packers, including one in his debut.

And how could we forget when Crosby prevented a kick return touchdown by forcing a fumble?

Cordarrelle Patterson scored nine kick return touchdowns in his career and was selected to the All-Pro first team four times. If it weren’t for Crosby, he almost certainly would have scored a tenth touchdown. Patterson ran through the entire Packers special forces unit and seemed destined to score. Then, out of the blue, Crosby made a diving tackle and forced a fumble.

Crosby played 16 seasons in Green Bay and helped the team win Super Bowl XLV. He is the best kicker in Packers history and could keep that title forever.