The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Thursday announced Donald Driver, Aaron Kampman, Daryn Colledge, A.J. Hawk and Greg Jennings all will receive awards honoring last season's accomplishments at the 37th Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held the evening of July 21, 2007, in the Lambeau Field Atrium. Robert Brooks and LeRoy Butler will become the 135th and 136th members of the Hall.
Driver and Kampman will be co-honored as the team's 'Most Valuable Player.' Driver, a repeat winner of the team MVP award, went to his second Pro Bowl following a 2006 season that saw him record career-highs in catches (92) and receiving yards (1,295) to go along with eight touchdowns. He also extended his streak of games with a reception to 80, the second-longest stretch in Packers history. His fourth career 1,000-yard receiving season places him in elite company with James Lofton (5) and Sterling Sharpe (5) as one of three Packers ever with as many as four 1,000-yard seasons. Kampman enjoyed a banner year in 2006. His career-best 151/2 sacks led the NFC, while his other career-high, 113 tackles, set a new franchise record for defensive linemen. The fifth-year pro was twice honored as NFC Defensive Player of the Week, joining Reggie White as the only Packers player to win the honor twice in the same season. He also was named Pass Rusher of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association. The Pro Football Weekly All-NFC and Associated Press second-team All-Pro honoree finished his season in Hawaii participating in his first Pro Bowl.
Colledge and Jennings will be co-honored as 'Offensive Rookie of the Year.' Colledge played in all 16 games of his rookie campaign, earning a start in the final 15. He showed tremendous strides throughout the season, and was singled out at year's end by Head Coach Mike McCarthy as the team's most improved player. He was named to the Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team. He excelled in the new zone-blocking scheme and was an integral part of the NFL's ninth-ranked offense. Jennings emerged as a favorite of Brett Favre in the regular season, catching 45 passes for 632 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He earned a spot in NFL history after taking a simple curl route down the sidelines for a 75-yard score at Detroit on Sept. 24, Brett Favre's 400th career touchdown pass. He was one of three Packers to earn a spot on the Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team and captured Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors after his first career 100-yard receiving game at Detroit.
Hawk will be honored as 'Defensive Rookie of the Year.' He started all 16 games at the 'Will' linebacker spot for the Packers and led the team with 155 tackles, second-most ever recorded by a Packers rookie. His 112 solo tackles was good for third among all NFL players, while his two interceptions among nine passes defensed and 31/2 sacks showed his knack for the big play. Named to the prestigious Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team, Hawk was twice honored as the Diet Pepsi NFL 'Defensive Rookie of the Week.
Also at the banquet, the Hall of Fame will formally recognize this year's FAN honoree, Rich Barbera.
Tickets for the banquet, which begins with a cash bar at 4:30 p.m., with dinner and program to follow at 7 p.m., are $110 each. Tables of 10 also are available and are assigned in the order they are purchased. Early reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call Gwen Borga at 920/965-6984, or e-mail her at gborga@packerhalloffame.org. No refunds are available 30 days prior to the event.
*The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Inc., is a non-profit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to develop new exhibits and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Inc., Golf Classic is set for July 9 at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Tickets are sold out.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Hall moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to a spectacular new, 25,000-square-foot facility in the Lambeau Field Atrium. The Hall of Fame is open on non-game days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours may vary on game days and holidays. For more information, contact the Hall of Fame at 920/569-7512.*
