Don Hutson Donald Montgomery Hutson ( January 31 , 1913 – June 26 , 1997 ) was the first star split end in National Football League history . He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver . In his senior season at the University of Alabama in 1934 , Hutson was a first team All - American for six different organizations and a second team selection by one other . After his career at Alabama , he joined the Green Bay Packers in 1935 and retired in 1945 after 11 seasons . 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 receivers in NFL history , holding almost all important receiving records at the time of his retirement . As of the end of the 2012 NFL season , Hutson still holds the following records : Most seasons leading league in pass receptions ( 8 ) , Most consecutive seasons leading league in pass receptions ( 5 ) , Most seasons leading league in pass receiving yards gained ( 7 ) , Most consecutive seasons leading league in pass receiving yards gained ( 4 ) , Most seasons leading league in pass receiving touchdowns ( 9 ) , most seasons leading the league in total touchdowns ( 8 ) , Most consecutive seasons leading league in pass receiving touchdowns ( 5 ) , Most seasons leading league in scoring ( 5 ) , and Most consecutive seasons leading league in scoring ( 5 ) ( Source : NFL Record and fact book ) . NFL career . Split end . When he graduated from Alabama , Hutson was not highly regarded by several NFL teams because of his thin stature . Many coaches felt that he would not be able to handle the rigors of football , but Curly Lambeau of the Packers saw Hutson as the perfect receiver for his passing attack , which at the time was headed by quarterback Arnie Herber and end Johnny " Blood " McNally . Before the draft existed , college players could sign with any team they wanted , and while Hutson did sign a contract with Green Bay , he had also signed a contract with Brooklyn , and both contracts came to the NFL office at the same time . NFL president Joseph Carr declared that Hutson would go to Green Bay , as the Green Bay contract had an earlier date of signing . 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 . Steve Largent broke Hutson ' s record in 1989 , although 3 of Largent ' s 100 touchdown receptions came against replacement players . Hutson ' s single season record of 17 touchdown receptions in 1942 stood for 42 years until broken by Mark Clayton in 1984 , a year in which Miami ' s quarterback Dan Marino had more completions ( 362 ) than the entire 1942 Packers team ' s pass attempts ( 330 ) . Hutson became the key component to the Packers lethal offensive attack , as the Packers won the NFL title in Hutson ' s second year , 1936 , beating the Boston Redskins 21 - 6 . The Packers went on to win two more titles during Hutson ' s career , in 1939 and 1944 . Hutson shocked the fans of Green Bay in 1945 when he announced his retirement after playing 11 seasons . He stayed with the Packers as an assistant coach in 1946 , but then left the organization . In an era when successful passing attacks were virtually unheard of , Don Hutson and the Green Bay Packers flourished via the air . Hutson held 18 major NFL records at the time of his retirement , several of which stood for decades ; some have yet to be broken . Twice , in 1941 and 1942 , he was named the league ' s MVP . In 1941 Hutson became the first receiver to catch more than 50 passes in a season , and the next year he became the first with over 1 , 000 receiving yards in a season . In all , Hutson caught 488 passes for 7 , 991 yards . He rushed for three touchdowns and scored three touchdowns on defense 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 ) . Hutson still holds the highest career average TDs per game ( 0 . 85 ) for a receiver . Defense and special teams . For many of his 11 seasons , Hutson was also the Packers ' kicker . He added 172 extra point s and 7 field goals for another league record , 823 points . He led the league in extra points made and attempted in 1941 , 1942 and 1945 and in field goals made in 1943 . 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 six years of his career . Hutson ' s highest season total was in 1943 , when he intercepted eight passes in only 10 games . In 1940 , he led the NFL with 6 interceptions . Honors and recognition . Hutson has been honored in a variety of ways . He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1951 . His number 14 , was the first number retired by the Packers ( in a public ceremony at a game at City Stadium ) on December 2 , 1951 . Hutson Street in the Packerland Industrial Park in Green Bay is named for him , 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 inducted as a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 , and he is a member of the Green Bay Packers 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 . There is a park named after him in his hometown of Pine Bluff , Arkansas . Super Bowl XXII was dedicated to Hutson on the occasion of his 75th birthday . He performed the ceremonial coin toss to end the pregame ceremonies . In 1999 , he was ranked sixth 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 to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame an authentic Packers # 14 jersey worn by Hutson . 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 over $ 17 , 000 , was donated by son Daniel Flagstad in memory of his parents . Most sportswriters and football enthusiasts consider Jerry Rice the best receiver ever , but a few 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 , the pass interference rule favored defenses , and players played both offense and defense . Rice ' s career touchdown reception record of 197 almost exactly doubled Hutson ' s 99 TD receptions . Yet Rice played 20 seasons in the modern pass - friendly NFL with 16 regular season games , plus playoffs . In comparison , Hutson played 11 seasons in an era of 10 - 12 games per season , and when there was a championship game but no playoffs . However , in Rice ' s defense , it should be noted that Hutson ' s most productive seasons were from 1942 - 1945 , a time in which the NFL was severely depleted with many its most talented players and prospective college athletes serving in the military during World War II . Hutson ' s record 99 TD receptions stood for 44 years , not being broken until well into the modern era . In 2012 , the NFL Network named Hutson the greatest Green Bay Packer of all time , beating out other greats like Brett Favre , Bart Starr , and Paul Hornung . NFL records . " Records held as of retirement " Note : * = remains an NFL record .