NFL Greatest Players

Don Hutson: He was a gift from the future, a premonition in helmet and cleats. To say Don Hutson was ahead of his time is well beyond understatement.

Hutson was professional football's first great receiver, a pass-catching pioneer who helped map the course the game would follow through the second half of the 20th century.

Hutson, the star of Alabama's 1935 Rose Bowl winner, was the worst nightmare for NFL coaches accustomed to defensing the conservative single-wing offenses of the era. He was tall (6-1), elusive and fast -- that rare athlete who could find an extra gear and explode past helpless defensive backs.

Hutson also could outleap most defenders and his big hands and long reach turned poorly thrown passes into highlight-film touchdowns. Football fans marveled at the sight of Hutson pulling in long passes and loping gracefully into the end zone.

Hutson was the centerpiece for Green Bay coach Curly Lambeaus innovative quick-strike offense from 1935 to 45. Over his 11-year career, he led the league in receptions eight times and touchdown catches on nine occasions.

His season receiving yardage totals consistently topped opposing team totals and most of that yardage was compiled while battling double- and triple-team coverage -- unheard of strategy at the time. When he recorded the NFLs first 1,000-yard season (1,211) in 1942, 17 of his record 74 catches went for touchdowns.

When Hutson retired, his 488 career catches dwarfed the 298 total of his nearest competitor. His 99 TD receptions stood as a record for many years, as did his 16.4-yard average.

His offensive greatness (he once scored 29 points in a quarter) was complemented by his prowess as a defensive back (30 interceptions) and kicker (193 points).

A member of three Green Bay championship teams, he became a charter member of the Hall of Fame in 1963.