Remembering Greg Jennings' Great NFL Career
After 10 years in the National Football League, wide receiver Greg Jennings has decided to announce his retirement.
The former two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver finished his career with 571 receptions for 8,291 receiving yards, and 64 receiving touchdowns while playing seven seasons with Green Bay, two for Minnesota, and one for Miami.
"The same dedication, the same work ethic that I put into pursuing that sport, this game, I'll be pursuing everything else with the same mindset," he said in the video announcing his decision.
Jennings' Career
That work ethic is quite visible when taking a glance at his statistics over the course of his career, including his Reception Net Expected Points (NEP), which quantifies the number of points a player adds to his team versus how he's expected to perform.
| Year | Team | Games | Targets | Receptions | Rec Yards | Rec TDs | Rec NEP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | GB | 14 | 105 | 45 | 632 | 3 | 51.67 |
| 2007 | GB | 13 | 84 | 53 | 920 | 12 | 88.52 |
| 2008 | GB | 16 | 140 | 80 | 1292 | 9 | 115.32 |
| 2009 | GB | 16 | 119 | 69 | 1113 | 4 | 101.11 |
| 2010* | GB | 16 | 124 | 76 | 1265 | 12 | 111.37 |
| 2011* | GB | 13 | 101 | 67 | 949 | 9 | 86.87 |
| 2012 | GB | 8 | 62 | 36 | 366 | 4 | 35.62 |
| 2013 | MIN | 15 | 106 | 68 | 804 | 4 | 67.47 |
| 2014 | MIN | 16 | 91 | 59 | 742 | 6 | 69.39 |
| 2015 | MIA | 16 | 36 | 19 | 208 | 1 | 16.73 |
Jennings was a consistent playmaker for the Packers, providing a reliable outlet for both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
In 2008, he finished top-five in Reception NEP, and his 0.77 Reception NEP per target in his career ranks him 16th among 94 receivers with at least 300 catches since 2000, falling right between Dez Bryant and Antonio Brown in terms of per-target efficiency.
In fact, Jennings owns three of the Packers' top 12 Reception NEP seasons dating back to the year 2000. Not only did he accrue significant counting stats, but he also did so in a very efficient manner.
From 2007 to 2011, Jennings had five straight seasons finishing as a top-24 fantasy wide receiver in PPR formats. Only four other receivers displayed that same production over that time span: Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Roddy White, and Wes Welker.
He was an integral part in Green Bay's victory in Super Bowl XLV, catching two touchdowns to help propel the Packers over the Pittsburgh Steelers. His fourth-quarter touchdown grab helped put the Packers up 28-17, and he arguably could've finished as the game's MVP.
However, all good things must come to an end.
The Dolphins released Jennings, after totaling just 208 receiving yards last season, in March, saving $4 million in the process. A crowded wide receiver corps of Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, and rookie Leonte Carroo didn't leave much room for Jennings.
The former second-round pick will be remembered for his time in Green Bay and his terrific rapport with Aaron Rodgers as they helped elevate each other's play.
His ability to go up and get the ball combined with crafty route running and a penchant for touchdowns, led to his slogan, "Be Great."
But for now, Jennings crosses the plane into retirement and promises to leave the league the same way he entered it.
As he put it, "This smile is not going to be removed: it's going to be enhanced."
