The 2017 season was the Green Bay Packers' 97th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 99th overall and their 12th under head coach Mike McCarthy. After reaching the NFC Championship Game in the previous season, the team attempted to improve on their 10–6 record from 2016. However, the team was eliminated from postseason contention after Week 15, marking the first time since 2008 that they failed to qualify for the playoffs.
The Packers started out strong, compiling a 4–1 record, but during a week 6 game against their division rival Minnesota Vikings, the Packers lost starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a collarbone injury and eventually ended with a 7–9 record despite his attempted return in a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 15. A blowout 35–11 loss to the Detroit Lions in week 17 secured the Packers’ first losing season since 2008.
Player movements
Free agents Position Player Free agencytag Date signed Team WR Geronimo Allison ERFA March 6, 2017 Green Bay Packers G Don Barclay UFA March 10, 2017 Green Bay Packers TE Jared Cook UFA March 16, 2017 Oakland Raiders RB John Crockett ERFA July 14, 2017 Oakland Raiders OLB Jayrone Elliott RFA March 13, 2017 Green Bay Packers LS Brett Goode UFA August 12, 2017 Green Bay Packers SS Micah Hyde UFA March 9, 2017 Buffalo Bills RB Don Jackson ERFA March 8, 2017 Green Bay Packers OLB Datone Jones UFA March 14, 2017 Minnesota Vikings FB Joe Kerridge ERFA March 16, 2017 Green Bay Packers RB Eddie Lacy UFA March 14, 2017 Seattle Seahawks G T. J. Lang UFA March 12, 2017 Detroit Lions RB Christine Michael UFA March 23, 2017 Green Bay Packers OLB Julius Peppers UFA March 10, 2017 Carolina Panthers OLB Nick Perry UFA March 9, 2017 Green Bay Packers DE Christian Ringo ERFA March 7, 2017 Green Bay Packers P Jake Schum ERFA March 8, 2017 Green Bay Packers LB Joe Thomas ERFA March 7, 2017 Green Bay Packers C J. C. Tretter UFA March 9, 2017 Cleveland Browns ILB Jordan Tripp RFA March 15, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Trades September 3, 2017 To Green Bay PackersConditional 2018 7th-round pick To Dallas CowboysJayrone Elliott
Signings Position Player Last Team Date TE Martellus Bennett New England Patriots March 10, 2017 TE Lance Kendricks Los Angeles Rams March 11, 2017 CB Davon House Jacksonville Jaguars March 14, 2017 DE Ricky Jean Francois Washington Redskins March 24, 2017 G Justin McCray N/A March 29, 2017 LS Derek Hart March 31, 2017 G Jahri Evans New Orleans Saints April 26, 2017 CB Donatello Brown N/A May 5, 2017 OLB Johnathan Calvin WR Michael Clark WR Montay Crockett G Thomas Evans G Geoff Gray ILB Cody Heiman QB Taysom Hill DE Izaah Lunsford OT Adam Pankey TE Aaron Peck RB Kalif Phillips CB Lenzy Pipkins CB David Rivers P Justin Vogel OLB Josh Letuligasenoa May 8, 2017 CB Raysean Pringle RB William Stanback OLB David Talley S Aaron Taylor WR Colby Pearson June 1, 2017 OT Robert Leff June 6, 2017 CB Daquan Holmes June 7, 2017 TE Emanuel Byrd August 5, 2017 DE Shaneil Jenkins Seattle Seahawks August 13, 2017 NT Calvin Heurtelou N/A August 21, 2017 OLB Ahmad Brooks San Francisco 49ers September 3, 2017 OLB Chris Odom N/A NT Quinton Dial San Francisco 49ers September 5, 2017 OT Adam Pankey September 13, 2017 DE Ricky Jean Francois September 21, 2017 RB Joel Bouagnon Chicago Bears January 10, 2018
Subtractions Position Player New team Date RB Don Jackson May 1, 2017 RB Christine Michael Indianapolis Colts May 1, 2017 P Jake Schum June 1, 2017 C Jacob Flores June 6, 2017 CB David Rivers Tampa Bay Buccaneers June 7, 2017 NT Letroy Guion August 8, 2017 DE Shaneil Jenkins August 15, 2017 LS Derek Hart August 28, 2017 WR Colby Pearson RB William Stanback G Kofi Amichia September 2, 2017 CB Donatello Brown TE Emanuel Byrd QB Joe Callahan OLB Johnathan Calvin WR Michael Clark WR Montay Crockett WR Malachi Dupre Buffalo Bills G Thomas Evans OLB Reggie Gilbert G Geoff Gray ILB Cody Heiman NT Calvin Heurtelou QB Taysom Hill New Orleans Saints CB Daquan Holmes OT Robert Leff LB Josh Letuligasenoa DE Izaah Lunsford LB Derrick Mathews WR Max McCaffrey New Orleans Saints OT Adam Pankey TE Aaron Peck RB Kalif Phillips DE Brian Price Dallas Cowboys CB Raysean Pringle S Aaron Taylor ILB Jordan Tripp Atlanta Falcons S Jermaine Whitehead WR DeAngelo Yancey DE Christian Ringo Cincinnati Bengals September 5, 2017 CB LaDarius Gunter Carolina Panthers September 12, 2017 DE Ricky Jean Francois New England Patriots September 13, 2017 TE Martellus Bennett New England Patriots November 8, 2017
Draft
Notes The Packers received one compensatory selection – No. 182 overall. Trades Green Bay traded their first round selection (29th) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's 2nd and 4th round selections (33rd and 108th). Green Bay traded their 5th round selection (172nd) to Denver in exchange for Denver's 5th and 7th round selections (175th and 238th).
Staff
Final roster
Starters
Offense Position Name GSQB Brett HundleyAaron Rodgers 97RB Jamaal WilliamsTy MontgomeryAaron Jones 754FB Aaron Ripkowski 2WR Randall Cobb 14WR Jordy Nelson 15WR Davante AdamsGeronimo Allison 142TE Lance KendricksMartellus BennettRichard Rodgers 971LT David BakhtiariKyle MurphyLane Taylor 1222LG Lane TaylorJustin McCrayLucas Patrick 1321C Corey Linsley 16RG Jahri EvansJustin McCrayLucas Patrick 1411RT Bryan BulagaJustin McCrayJason SpriggsKyle Murphy 5551
Defense Position Name GSDT Mike DanielsQuinton Dial 141NT Kenny ClarkQuinton Dial 151DE Dean Lowry 11LE Ahmad Brooks 1OLB Nick PerryAhmad Brooks 114OLB Clay Matthews IIIKyler Fackrell 142ILB Jake RyanMorgan BurnettJosh JonesJoe Thomas 12211ILB Blake Martinez 16CB Davon HouseKevin KingLenzy Pipkins 1251CB Damarious RandallJosh HawkinsQuinten Rollins 1231SS Morgan BurnettKentrell BriceJosh JonesMarwin Evans 10331FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 16S Josh Jones 2
Preseason The Packers' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on April 10.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 Philadelphia Eagles W 24–9 1–0 Lambeau Field Recap 2 at Washington Redskins W 21–17 2–0 FedExField Recap 3 at Denver Broncos L 17–20 2–1 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 4 Los Angeles Rams W 24–10 3–1 Lambeau Field Recap
Regular season
Schedule The Packers' preliminary regular season schedule was announced on April 20.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 10 Seattle Seahawks W 17–9 1–0 Lambeau Field Recap 2 September 17 at Atlanta Falcons L 23–34 1–1 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 3 September 24 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–24 2–1 Lambeau Field Recap 4 Chicago Bears W 35–14 3–1 Lambeau Field Recap 5 October 8 at Dallas Cowboys W 35–31 4–1 AT&T Stadium Recap 6 October 15 at Minnesota Vikings L 10–23 4–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 7 October 22 New Orleans Saints L 17–26 4–3 Lambeau Field Recap 8 Bye 9 Detroit Lions L 17–30 4–4 Lambeau Field Recap 10 November 12 at Chicago Bears W 23–16 5–4 Soldier Field Recap 11 November 19 Baltimore Ravens L 0–23 5–5 Lambeau Field Recap 12 November 26 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 28–31 5–6 Heinz Field Recap 13 December 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 26–20 6–6 Lambeau Field Recap 14 December 10 at Cleveland Browns W 27–21 7–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 15 December 17 at Carolina Panthers L 24–31 7–7 Bank of America Stadium Recap 16 Minnesota Vikings L 0–16 7–8 Lambeau Field Recap 17 December 31 at Detroit Lions L 11–35 7–9 Ford Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Packers' offense struggled for the first half against the Seahawks. On the Packers' first drive, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, but an illegal block in the back penalty negated the score. Before that play Rodgers had gone his previous 251 regular season pass attempts without an interception, a career high. The Packers' defense held Seattle in check but trailed 3–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, Mike Daniels forced a fumble that Green Bay recovered at the Seattle 6-yard line, and Ty Montgomery ran in for a touchdown on the following play, giving the Packers a lead they wouldn't relinquish after that. Later Rodgers caught the Seahawks with 12 men on the field and capitalized on the free play by throwing a 32-yard touchdown to Jordy Nelson. The Packers only surrendered two field goals to Seattle for the rest of the game, giving a strong defensive showing in the season opener.
Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons
In a rematch of the 2016 NFC Championship game earlier that year, the Falcons defeated the Packers to open up their new stadium. The teams exchanged opening drive touchdowns, but with both starting tackles out of the game due to injury, the Packers' offense failed to keep pace. At the end of the first half, with the score 17–7, a 36-yard pass to Randall Cobb was called back due to a controversial Offensive Pass Interference call on tight end Martellus Bennet. On the ensuing play Aaron Rodgers threw an interception to Desmond Trufant that lead to a Falcons touchdown, making the score 24–7 at halftime. Aaron Rodgers fumbled on the Packers' first drive of the second half, leading to another Falcons' touchdown. Though the Packers would score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the Falcons still prevailed, 34–23. On a one-yard pass to Ty Montgomery late in the fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers recorded his 300th career touchdown. He is the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach the milestone, needing only 4,742 attempts.
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Although the Bengals entered the game 0–2 without scoring an offensive touchdown, the Packers fell behind early once again, 21–7, with one of the Bengal scores being an interception of Aaron Rodgers returned for the touchdown, which was only the second time in Rodgers career that he'd given up an interception for a touchdown. The Packers were able to rally back, tying the game with 21 seconds left in the game on a pinpoint 3-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jordy Nelson. After forcing Cincinnati to punt on the opening drive in overtime, the Packers found themselves in a 3rd and 10 situation but Aaron Rodgers managed to draw the Bengals offsides, allowing for a free play that resulted in a Geronimo Allison 72-yard catch to the Cincinnati 8-yard line. Mason Crosby then kicked the winning field goal, giving Aaron Rodgers his first ever overtime win, after having gone 0–7 for his career in overtime games, which included the playoffs. This also gave Rodgers his first win over the Bengals, giving him a win over every NFL team but the Packers (including the playoffs).
Week 4: vs. Chicago Bears
In the 195th meeting between the Packers and Bears, the Packers took advantage early, scoring first on their opening drive, then scoring less than a minute later after recovering a Bear fumble. Taking advantage of several Chicago miscues, including three turnovers and a missed field goal, the Packers rolled to a convincing win over their rivals, with Aaron Rodgers throwing four touchdown passes. The victory also gave the Packers a 95–94–6 edge in the rivalry with the Bears, the first time the Packers had the lead in the rivalry since 1933. In the third quarter wide receiver Davante Adams took a vicious and illegal hit from Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan that required a stretcher to take Adams off the field. Adams was diagnosed with a concussion and immediately taken to the hospital, where he spent the night. He did not have any significant nerve damage and would return for next Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Week 5: at Dallas Cowboys