A.J. Hawk a Packers' Bust? No Way

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2006 draft was a lot of things for the Green Bay Packers, but a bust wasn't one of them. 

There are often times unattainable expectations tied to top-5 picks in the NFL draft. Teams drafting in the first five almost always need difference makers, creating pressure on both the drafter and player to provide a final product worthy of the selection opportunity. 

Fail to deliver on these standards and the word “bust” inevitably gets thrown around. 

A.J. Hawk, drafted fifth overall by general manager Ted Thompson in 2006, was in no way a bust for the Green Bay Packers. 

Hawk’s career with the Packers came to a forecasted end Wednesday, with the Packers announcing they had waived the veteran linebacker with a failed physical designation. He had one year left on his contract, but average play and an above average salary made the decision an easy one in football terms for Thompson. 

It certainly couldn’t have been easy on a personal level. Not after nine years. Hawk never became an annual Pro Bowler for Thompson, but week-after-week, year-after-year, No. 50 lined up in the middle of the Packers defense and gave everything he had for the franchise he cherished to the end. 

“I loved everything about playing for one of the greatest franchises in all of sports,” Hawk said in the team released statement. “I am looking forward to my next opportunity in the NFL, but I’ll cherish my years as a Green Bay Packer.” Thompson called him a “consummate Packer.” 

Hawk wasn’t flashy but he was always available, playing 142 of 144 possible regular season games and another 13 in the postseason. No bust has ever started 136 games over his first nine seasons, especially in a league in which the average shelf life is still shorter than a Presidential term. 

Hawk wasn’t Ray Nitschke but he will leave Green Bay as the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles with 1,118. He led the team in tackles five times, including as a rookie in 2006 and during the Packers’ Super Bowl-winning season of 2010. A model of consistency, Hawk never finished a season with fewer than 84 tackles. 

Hawk wasn’t known for making big plays but he remains one of only six players in franchise history to create at least 15 sacks and five interceptions over his career. Hawk’s 19.0 sacks are tied for 16th in team history. (It should be noted, however, that sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982.)

Hawk wasn’t a collector of individual awards but he was a part of seven playoff teams. He played in three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, winning a ring in February of 2011. His 13 postseason games included 70 tackles. 

In the end, the Packers used the No. 5 overall pick on a player that would stick around for nearly a decade and start almost every Sunday—all the while developing into a respected leader inside the locker room and a model citizen in the Green Bay community. Three times he was elected a playoff captain, and his acts of selflessness in Wisconsin and Ohio are too many to list here. 

There will be some who may always scoff at Hawk’s body of work, likely in disappointment that the top-5 pick never became the kind of game-changing presence that lives on All-Pro lists and spends a week in Hawaii every year. There will be another subsection who only remembers Hawk’s final season in Green Bay, which was marred by injury, regression and a few forgettable plays in Seattle. On some level, each assessment is fair. 

Perception of his Packers career will always be strained by missed expectations and final memories. 

But never should the “bust” label enter the Hawk conversation. He wasn’t perfect, but sure things have never existed in the draft. The Packers paid one draft pick for nine years of production and reliability. Sounds like a fair transaction to me. 

 

Zach Kruse contributes to Cheesehead TV. He is also the Lead Writer for the NFC North at Bleacher Report. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].

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Comments (23)

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Joshua Perry's picture

February 26, 2015 at 02:35 am

Cutting AJ Hawk has closed an enormous hole in the Packers defense. They are better on D-100%

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Horse's picture

February 26, 2015 at 05:07 am

There are currently 3 Packers signed at ILB. One has never played. One is a 2014 rookie who didn't get on the field very much. What's "better" is your hatred is satisfied for a day.

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Amanofthenorth's picture

February 26, 2015 at 04:14 am

170 games played at inside linebacker. Four forced fumbles for his entire career.
Jarret Boykin and Peppers each had four this year.

Ok. Now I'm in to this. Why forced fumbles aren't made more of as a defensive tell is beyond me. Here's the list of all time forced fumbles. Studs everyone:
http://www.playerfilter.com/nfl/most-forced-fumbles/#/g,u;ffum,desc,r;de...

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Alfredo Martinez's picture

February 26, 2015 at 04:57 am

he was no bust but he sure as hell wasnt a game changer....all in all good luck in whatever life brings next for you AJ...us fans appreciate the sweat and blood you gave up for GB

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cjsantiago08's picture

February 26, 2015 at 05:02 am

Jarrett boykin had 4 forced fumbles amanofthenorth?

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Amanofthenorth's picture

February 26, 2015 at 05:25 am

Apparently. Obviously on special teams.

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Packer_Pete's picture

February 26, 2015 at 05:22 am

From some comments here, one would think this is the worst player the Packers ever had. Really? He busted his butt for the team, he was solid, even though not a game changer, but as Zach said, he always lined up. I am grateful that AJ played for the Packers. And for the ones who think that the D will be better at ILB next season, wait and see. Who knows who will be signed or drafted? Yes it was the right move to cut AJ as his performance wasn't good anymore this past season, but he doesn't deserve the hate and vitriol thrown his way here.

Thank you for playing for my favorite team, AJ, and for being a classy individual when representing the Packers on and off the field!

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RCPackerFan's picture

February 26, 2015 at 07:19 am

I agree.

He wasn't Brian Urlacher like many were hoping for, but he wasn't a flop either.
I have always liked Hawk, and I really appreciate what he has done with the Packers.

Hawk deserves a little more respect and less disrespect that he is being given.

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DrealynWilliams's picture

February 26, 2015 at 07:24 am

You're welcome

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4thand1's picture

February 26, 2015 at 07:33 am

It doesn't matter what some armchair qb's think of AJ. You'll never hear a bad word spoken about him from his coaches or teammates. He played on a bad ankle and didn't use any excuses. What gets me is, he was on the field and CMIII wasn't in Seattle, late in the game. We never got a clear explanation on that. He won't have trouble finding a job.

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DrealynWilliams's picture

February 26, 2015 at 10:16 am

"What gets me is, he was on the field and CMIII wasn't in Seattle, late in the game."

And that kills me. I'm done pointing the finger over that game though. It was a conspiracy.

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Beep's picture

February 26, 2015 at 07:56 am

If he was a QB, he'd be called a game manager. Never a play maker, but rarely making blatant mistakes beyond his physical limitations toward the end.
Hopefully TT finds a more dynamic replacement, but also someone that is just as dependable as AJ was.

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KenEllis's picture

February 26, 2015 at 08:04 am

Hawk was not a bust.

However, he was paid over $34,00,000 for 9 years of nothing but mediocre play (at best - the last 2 years he was pathetic). The D instantly got better when Hawk went to the bench midway through last season.

Had TT signed Cullen Jenkins (for less $) instead of AJ Hawk right after the Super Bowl the D would have been better in 2011 and we could have used the rest of the money on an upgrade over the pedestrian Hawk the following years.

An average to poor and wildly overpaid player (but no bust) is gone. Simple as that.

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egbertsouse's picture

February 26, 2015 at 08:52 am

If he would have been a 3rd round pick, he would be considered a good player. the fifth pick brings higher expectations. He's a bust.

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egbertsouse's picture

February 26, 2015 at 08:52 am

If he would have been a 3rd round pick, he would be considered a good player. the fifth pick brings higher expectations. He's a bust.

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TKWorldWide's picture

February 28, 2015 at 06:41 am

I wouldn't say bust. But I think most would agree that the 5th overall pick should be more impactful than Hawk was.

At the time I remember being intrigued with Vernon Davis, who went 6th. I also remember at the time reading that Hawk was BY FAR the "safer" choice.

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HankScorpio's picture

February 26, 2015 at 08:59 am

Sorry, Hawk was a bust. He was drafted 5th overall and performed somewhere between below average and average his entire career. You expect more from a top 5 pick.

I have no doubt he gave everything he had to the team. I appreciate that effort and dedication at the same time I find the results unsatisfactory. Had he been a 5th round choice, the story would be much different.

I certainly don't place any blame on him for where he was selected but that doesn't change that he was the 5th pick and he did not deliver 5th pick performance.

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4thand1's picture

February 26, 2015 at 03:51 pm

I think he meant more to the team than just numbers. That's what every player is judged by. He called defensive plays and was in charge out there. Lets leave it up to his teammates, I'm sure you'll hear a whole different story.

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pooch's picture

February 26, 2015 at 10:19 am

A.J. Hawk at #5 bust=no dissapointment=yes

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lou's picture

February 26, 2015 at 11:56 am

Agreed, Hawk cannot be termed a "bust", that is reserved for Mandarich, Vinny Clark, Rich Campbell, Ahmad Carroll etc. Everyone agrees based on where he was picked expectations were not met. I would put him a rung below John Anderson who played on poor teams but was a solid starter (12 seasons) and like Hawk a class act on and off the field. I would also put him in the with Buckley who certainly was not a "bust" who played below expectations and went on to start for several years and like Hawk ended up with a Super Bowl ring. Too many times the words "great" and "bust" are used when they don't relate to the conversation (if it is sane).

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Tundraboy's picture

February 26, 2015 at 12:34 pm

Exactly

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FITZCORE1252's picture

February 26, 2015 at 11:31 am

Watched his podcast yesterday. The guy is classy as hell. Had nothing butgood things to say about the team that just cut him.

He wasnt great, but he was a reliable fixture for about a decade. He peaked in college, but his mediocrity in the nfl wasn't from lack of commitment or dedication. He played to the best of his ability and unfortunately, that led to 'MEH' results. Best of luck to him... solid guy.

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Denver's picture

February 26, 2015 at 11:55 am

I really couldn't stand watching AJ (or any of the ILB's for that matter) the past couple of years, but I still can't bring myself to calling him a 'bust', #5 pick or not.
And nothing but props to him for being a class act and going out even classier.

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