Green Bay Packers players who deserve more credit for 2010 Super Bowl run

These Packers are not praised as postseason heroes but their contributions were vital in 2010.

The 2020 season marks the 10th anniversary of the Green Bay Packers’ historic Super Bowl XLV, a playoff run that is largely overshadowed by the New England Patriots’ long-standing dynasty. However, the 2010 Packers were a better team than their 10-6 regular-season record suggests.

In the third season under Aaron Rodgers, the Packers fielded an explosive offense and even more dominant defense led by Charles Woodson and a young Clay Matthews. To this day, the 2010 squad is the only team in NFL history to play a full season without ever trailing by more than seven points, and their Super Bowl triumph made them just the second No. 6 seed to win the Super Bowl.

The Packers also finished the 2010 season with 15 players on injured reserve, including starting linebacker Nick Barnett, running back Ryan Grant, and star tight end, Jermichael Finley. While so many injuries would usually sink an NFL’s squad’s Super Bowl hopes, Green Bay overcame unprecedented adversity to bring home a title.

Rodgers, Woodson, and Matthews are all remembered as key pieces of the championship team, and wide receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver certainly receive their due praise as well.

However, some of the most impactful players on the Super Bowl XLV champions were under-the-radar players who stepped up due to injury or shined in the season’s biggest moments, the following three players being the most underappreciated pieces of one of the NFL’s most unlikely champions.