Fansided

10 best Alabama alumni in NFL history

By Russell S. Baxter

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr (15) looks downfield during Super Bowl I, a 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by James Flores/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr (15) looks downfield during Super Bowl I, a 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by James Flores/Getty Images) /
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San Diego Chargers wide receiver Lance Alworth (19), inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 1978, is congratulated by former Green Bay Packer Don Hutson, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of 1963. During the game, a 45-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on December 14, 1969, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California, Alworth eclipsed Hutson’s career mark of 95 games with a reception. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/Getty Images)
San Diego Chargers wide receiver Lance Alworth (19), inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 1978, is congratulated by former Green Bay Packer Don Hutson, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of 1963. During the game, a 45-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on December 14, 1969, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California, Alworth eclipsed Hutson’s career mark of 95 games with a reception. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/Getty Images) /

3. Don Hutson

Wide receiver Jerry Rice owns the NFL record for most career touchdown receptions. There’s a total of 197 TD grabs during his 20-year Pro Football Hall of Fame career. He is one of 10 players in league annals to haul in at least 100 touchdown passes during their careers. Eight of those players are already enshrined in Canton, Ohio. The other two are wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and tight end Antonio Gates, who will become Hall of Fame eligible in 2026 and 2024, respectively.

Well, No. 11 on the all-time touchdown reception list is hardly a slouch. In fact, you could say he was ahead of his time. Former University of Alabama product Don Hutson was not drafted by an NFL team and with good reason. There was no NFL draft when he joined the Green Bay Packers in 1935.

The numbers are mind-boggling. There were 116 regular-season games over 11 years. It added up to 488 catches for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns. He was named All-Pro eight times and earned four Pro Bowl nods. For good measure, Huston caught passes from other team’s players, picking off 30 passes along the way. No surprise he was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Charter Class of 1963.

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