Donald's last waltz

Posted by Mark Daniels on

You talk about from humble beginnings.  Donald Jerome Driver is calling it a career after 14 record breaking seasons in a Green Bay Packers uniform.   Adored by fans, Driver will formally announce his retirement in front of fans at a public cermoney in the Lambeau Field Atrium next Wednesday morning.   A gangly kid called "Quickie" by his parents, who spent part of his Houston childhood living out of the back of a U-Haul truck, Driver became a two sport star at small college Alcorn State.  A very good high jumper in track and a so-so football player, the Packers took a flyer on the wide receiver with their 7th round pick in 1999.  Somehow, he found his way onto the final roster, appearing in six games and making all three of his rookie year receptions and first career TD catch against the Carolina Panthers.  He became a regular back up in 2000 and by his third year, worked his way into the starting lineup where he remained a fixture for Brett Favre and then Aaron Rodgers through 2011.  His final season last fall saw his role diminish, with only 8 catches, scoring twice.  In between, Double-D rewrote the franchise record book, topping the list in receptions with 743, receiving yards with 10,137, seven one thousand yard seasons including six in a row, catching a pass in 133 consecutive games.  Driver also holds Lambeau Field records in virtually every receiving category.  His popularity grew as co-host of a local TV show, when he took over a charity softball game in Appleton, authored a couple of children's books and then soared through the roof when he took home the Mirror Ball trophy as Dancing with the Stars champion a year ago.   He played more than 200 games, behind only Favre in team history.  He was elected to the Pro Bowl four times.  His best season was 2006 with 92 catches, 1295 yards and 8 touchdowns.  Despite the slight frame, he was suprisingly durable, missing only three games between 2002 and 2011.   A terrific family man, Donald and his wife Betina have three kids.   Hard to pinpoint his greatest plays but his 90 yard touchdown against the Giants in the frigid NFC title game comes to mind, as does his 61 yard whirling dervish touchdown catch against the 49ers in 2010.  What will be unforgettable will be his wide, bright smile.  I'll miss the off the record conversations in the locker room with Donald on topics ranging from football to family.  He was a one of kind player who will be a slam dunk Packer hall of famer. 

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