Size matters in the NFL and each year, the average player gets bigger and stronger. But there are some players who are big, even by football standards. Here is a look at the tallest players in Green Bay Packers history and what they accomplished in a Packers uniform. How many of these players do you remember? All heights are as listed on pro-football-reference.com.
Tallest Players in Packers History: Players Who Were 6’7”, Before 1970
The first Packers player to reach 6’7” was lineman Ed Ecker who played for the team in 1950 and 1951. He played in 19 games and started one while playing both ways. At 6’7” and 306 pounds, he was a giant for his era. After his football career ended, Ecker went into acting.
The Packers didn’t have another player that tall until Vince Lombardi drafted Jim Weatherwax in 1965. The 6’7”, 260-pound defensive tackle played three seasons for the Packers in 1966, 67, and 69. Weatherwax has the distinction of making the first tackle in Super Bowl history, making the stop on the opening kickoff.
Defensive end Leo Carroll stood 6’7” and 250 pounds. He played six games for the Pack in 1968 and recovered a fumble. He also played two seasons for the Washington Redskins.
Leon Crenshaw played 10 games for the Packers in 1968. At 6’7” and 280 pounds, he was a big man for the time. The defensive tackle out of Tuskegee alum recorded half a sack with the Pack.
6’7” Players in the 70s
While most taller players tended to be linemen, the Packers briefly had a quarterback who stood 6’7” in Frank Patrick. The Packers drafted the Nebraska alum in the 10th round of the 1970 draft. He played tight end during his final season in college, but the Packers converted him to quarterback during a players strike, and he remained there. His most famous moment came in a preseason game against the Bears in 1971 when he accidentally stepped out of the back of the end zone to give the Bears a safety. The Pack lost the game 2-0. In three seasons with the Pack, he completed just 8-of-23 passes. To this day, he remains the tallest quarterback in franchise history.
Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks spent one season with the Packers in 1974. At 6’7”, 220 pounds, Hendricks was tall and lanky and quick enough to stifle opposing offenses. He intercepted five passes and blocked seven kicks and also recorded a safety. Hendricks earned All-Pro honors but was traded to the Raiders for two first-round picks when the Packers couldn’t sign him.
Defensive lineman Earl Edwards finished his 11-year NFL career with the Packers in 1979. He started eight games and recorded 3.5 sacks after being signed mid-season. Edwards passed away in May of 2024 at the age of 78.
6’7″ Players in the 80s
Offensive lineman Gary Hoffman played just one game for the Packers in 1984. The 6’7”, 285-pound offensive tackle was a 10th round pick by the Pack that season. His only game was the season finale, a 38-14 win over the Vikings.
Greg Feasel played 15 games for the Packers in 1986 but never started. He stood 6’7” and weighed 300 pounds. He also played three seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL and became the COO of the Colorado Rockies baseball team after his football career ended.
The Packers signed offensive tackle Steve Collier as a replacement player during the 1987 strike. He stuck with the team after the regular players returned and played in 10 games and started six. He stood 6’7” and weighed 342 pounds. He suffered an injury and spent 1988 on injured reserve.
Tallest Players in Packers History: Players Who Were 6’7”, 1990s and 2000s
Defensive end Sean Jones signed as a free agent with the Packers in 1994. He and Reggie White gave the team a pair of strong pass rushers at defensive end. Jones recorded 24.5 sacks in three seasons with the Packers and retired after they defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.
John Michels was the Packers first-round pick in 1996. He started nine games that year before injuries sidelined him. The 6’7”, 300-pound USC alum played two seasons with the Pack, but injuries limited him to 24 games.
Defensive tackle Terdell Sands stood 6’7” and weighed 335 pounds. He played one game for the Pack in 2003 but spent six seasons with the Raiders and started 14.
The Packers drafted 6’7”, 320-pound guard, Breno Giacomini in the 5th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played only one game for the Pack as a rookie but lasted seven more seasons in the NFL.
6’7” Players, 2010s to the Present
Julius Peppers spent three years with the Packers after signing as a free agent in 2014. At 6’7” and 295 pounds, Peppers had cat-like quickness. He made the Pro Bowl with the Pack in 2015 and recorded 25 sacks with Green Bay. Peppers were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
Tight end Jimmy Graham signed with the Packers in 2018 but never lived up to the high expectations the team had for him. The 6’7”, 265-pound University of Miami alum spent two disappointing seasons in Green Bay but did earn Pro Bowl honors five times in his NFL career.
The Packers signed offensive tackle Yosh Nijman as an undrafted free agent and developed him into a contributing player. Nijman started 22 games in four seasons with the Packers. He signed with the Carolina Panthers this offseason as a free agent.
Tallest Players in Packers History: Players Who Were 6’8”
The first player in Packers history to stand 6’8” was defensive end Ben Davidson who served as a backup for the Packers in 1961. He later spent eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders and made the Pro Bowl three times. Davidson started against the Packers in Super Bowl II and recorded a sack of Bart Starr.
Offensive tackle Bill Hayhoe spent five seasons with the Packers from 1969-1973. He was a starter in 1972 when the Packers won the NFC Central and made their only playoff appearance in the 70s. The USC product stood 6’8” and 258 pounds and recovered one fumble during his time with the Packers.
Kansas alum Vern Vanoy was also a member of the 1972 Packers. He started three games at defensive tackle that season and recorded four sacks. He also played for the Giants and Oilers in his three-year NFL career.
Offensive tackle Matt Willig served as a backup offensive tackle for the Packers in 1998. He played 12 seasons in the NFL and started at times with the Jets, Falcons and Panthers. After his football career was over, he became an actor.
The Packers recently had two offensive linemen who stood 6’8”. The Pack signed Jared Veldheer late in the 2019 season and he played in two games for the Pack. Dennis Kelly played 10 games for the Pack in 2021 and started four. He played 11 NFL seasons with five different teams.
The Tallest Packers Player of All Time:
The tallest player is competing for a roster spot now in training camp. The Pack signed 6’9”, 370-pound offensive tackle Caleb Jones as an undrafted free agent. Jones spent most of his time on the practice squad but became the tallest player in Packers history when he played one snap on special teams in Week 4 against Detroit.
Jones hopes to make the team again and continue his Packers career in 2024.
Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
Click here for more great Packers coverage
