Best of the Packers: Top 10 quarterbacks since 1960
By Phil Watson
4. Lynn Dickey (1976-77, 1979-85)
The Green Bay Packers gave up a lot to bring in Houston Oilers backup quarterback Lynn Dickey in April 1976, trading incumbent starter John Hadl, cornerback Ken Ellis, a fourth-round pick in 1976 and a third-rounder in 1977 to get a quarterback who had started only 10 games in five seasons.
Installed as the Packers starter, he had trouble staying healthy, playing 10 games in 1976 and just nine in 1977 before a devastating broken leg cost him most of the next two seasons.
He returned to start the final three games in 1979 and put in a full 16 games in 1980, throwing for 3,529 yards and 15 touchdowns with 25 interceptions.
He led the Packers to a playoff berth in the strike-shortened 1982 season, throwing for 1,790 yards while completing 56.9 percent of his passes for 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as the Pack went 5-3-1 and won their first postseason game since the Lombardi era.
In 1983, Dickey led the NFL with 4,458 passing yards, 32 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions as well as with a 9.2-yard per completion rate as the Packers went 8-8.
Dickey played two more seasons, starting 15 games in 1984 and 10 in 1985 before retiring.
In nine years with Green Bay, Dickey started 101 games—with the Packers going 43-56-2 in those contests—and completed 56.2 percent of his throws, finishing with 21,369 tards, 133 touchdowns and 151 interceptions, a passer rating of 73.8.
His 21,369 yards and 133 touchdowns rank fourth in team history, while his 151 interceptions are second on the team’s all-time list.
A third-round pick of the Oilers out of Kansas State in 1971, Dickey was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1992.
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