Long running plays are becoming rarer in the modern NFL. It’s always exciting watching a runner dash for a long gain. The Green Bay Packers have had many great running backs over the course of their history, and they have created some memorable long runs. Here is a look at the five longest running plays in Packers history.
Remembering the Longest Running Plays in Packers History, Number Five: 83 yards, Ahman Green, September 9, 2001, vs. Detroit Lions
Ahman Green is the Packers all-time leading rusher. He opened the 2001 season with a bang by rushing 17 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came on long runs. He opened the scoring with a 31-yard touchdown dash on the team’s first drive.
Then, later in the first quarter, he ran 83 yards for a touchdown that now ties him for the fifth longest touchdown run in Packers history. The second score gave the Packers a 21-0 lead in an eventual 28-6 win over the Detroit Lions.
Brett Favre also threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns while wide receiver Bill Schroeder caught four passes for 104 yards and a score.
Number Five (Tie): 83 yards James Lofton, September 20, 1982, vs New York Giants
It’s rare to see a wide receiver on this list, but Hall of Famer James Lofton had sprinter’s speed and was a dangerous weapon on reverses.
This 1982 Week 2 game was strange to begin with. It was played on Monday night and was therefore the final game before the players strike. Fans booed when the players met at midfield before the opening kickoff to shake hands in solidarity.
The Packers fell behind 19-7 early in the third quarter when Lofton changed the momentum of the game by scoring on an 83-yard reverse. Once the former Stanford star got past the first wave of Giants defenders, he was gone as nobody was going to catch him.
The Packers came back and won the game 27-19 after an 11-yard touchdown run by Eddie Lee Ivery and two Jan Stenerud field goals. The Giants never recovered from Lofton’s big run.
The Packers headed into the strike with a 2-0 record and two comeback wins. They finished the season with a 5-3-1 record and made the playoffs for the only time in the 80s.
Remembering the Longest Running Plays in Packers History, Number Four: 84 yards, Jim Taylor, November 8, 1964, vs. Detroit Lions
Hall of Famer Jim Taylor retired as the Packers all-time leading rusher and was a key cog in the Packers dynasty under Vince Lombardi in the 1960s.
His longest career run came on a classic Lombardi power sweep in the first quarter of the Packers eventual 30-7 win over Detroit at what was then still called New City Stadium (now Lambeau Field). The play was set up by precise execution by Taylor and his offensive line. The tough fullback waited for his blocks and ran down the right sideline to end zone.
It was Taylor’s second touchdown run of the game and finished the contest with 145 yards on 19 carries. Paul Hornung kicked three field goals while Max McGee scored on a 27-yard fumble return to give the Pack an easy win.
The Packers defense also sacked Detroit quarterback Milt Plum eight times.
Number Three: 90 yards, Ahman Green, October 24, 2004, vs Dallas Cowboys
The Packers crushed the Dallas Cowboys crushed the Dallas Cowboys 41-20 in Week 7 of the 2004 season. The final Packers touchdown of the game came late in the third quarter on a 90-yard dash by Green that gave the Packers a 41-13 lead.
Green finished the game with 163 yards on just 15 carries and ran for two touchdowns while Favre completed 23-of-29 passes for 258 yards and two scores.
Green’s long touchdown run was the icing on the cake as the Packers cruised past Dallas to improve their record to 3-4.
Remembering the Longest Running Plays in Packers History, Number Two: 97 yards, Andy Uram, October 8, 1939, vs Chicago Cardinals
This game featured a lot of big plays by both teams including a 92-yard touchdown pass by Don Hutson for the Packers and a 60-yard touchdown pass to the Cardinals Bill Smith.
In this game, Andy Uram set a then-Packers record that stood for 64 years when he ran 97 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. The touchdown gave the Packers a 21-0 lead in a game they held on to win 27-20.
Uram had only two runs in the game but still finished with 108 yards. For the entire season, he gained only 272 yards on the ground although he did earn Pro Bowl honors for the only time in his career in 1939.
Number One: 98 yards, Ahman Green, December 28, 2003, vs. Denver Broncos
Green enjoyed a career year in 2003, gaining 1,883 yards on the ground and an additional 367 yards receiving on 50 catches.
The Packers closed out their 10-6 regular season with a 31-3 win over the Denver Broncos at Lambeau Field and Green was the key cog in the offense.
In this game, Green broke Uram’s record when he scored on a 98-yard run against Denver. It came early in the fourth quarter and gave the Pack a 24-3 lead.
Green finished the game with 218 yards rushing and two touchdowns. That is still the highest single-game total for any runner in Packers history.
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