Where is Green Bay Packers Receiving Great Donald Driver Now?
Over the years, the Green Bay Packers have boasted some big names. From the likes of Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr to more recent stars like Aaron Rodgers, there hasn’t been a shortage of talent in Wisconsin. While Donald Driver might not belong in exactly the same category as those men, he still earned a place in Packers franchise history.
While no Green Bay Packers fan will forget Donald Driver’s performances, it’s been quite a few years since he last hit the gridiron. So where is the receiver today?
Donald Driver didn’t look like a star coming out of college
Under most circumstances, NFL stars have looked like top-tier talents since their youth. Donald Driver had plenty of skill but, for whatever reason, didn’t exactly steal the headlines like other prospects.
Driver had a tough childhood but found solace in sports. In high school, he played football, basketball, and baseball; he also ran track, foreshadowing the speed that would help him make things happen in the pros.
He then headed to Alcorn State University, where, again, he ran track and played football. While he showed plenty of potential in both sports, football was his ticket to a brighter future; according to Alcorn State Athletics, the receiver pulled in 88 catches for 1,933 yards and 17 touchdowns during his time with the Braves. Before long, NFL scouts were coming to Lorman, Mississippi to check out a talented offensive prospect.
When the 1999 NFL draft rolled around, though, that attention didn’t turn into a high pick. Driver sat on his hands until the seventh round when he joined the Green Bay Packers as the 213th-overall pick.
Donald Driver turned into a star with the Green Bay Packers
On paper, a seventh-round draft pick is little more than a lottery ticket; at that point, you’re trusting your scouts and hoping to land a long shot. It’s safe to say that the Green Bay Packers did just that by snagging Donald Driver.
While his first three seasons were pretty unremarkable, Driver eventually developed into one of Green Bay’s top receiving threats. With his quick feet and safe hands, he became a perpetual 1000-yard man.
In total, Driver spent 14 seasons in Green Bay, piling up 743 receptions, 10,137 yards, and 61 touchdowns. While those numbers are impressive in isolation, they stack up favorably in franchise history, too. Even today, Driver still ranks 1st in receiving yards, 1st in catches, and 4th in receiving touchdowns among all Packers receivers.
Where is Green Bay Packers great Donald Driver today?
While Donald Driver found great success with the Green Bay Packers, no career can last forever. In January 2013, the receiver realized that his race was run and called it a career.
Driver, however, hasn’t completely dropped off the face of the earth. In addition to his charitable work and an appearance on Dancing with the Stars, the receiver also occupies himself with fitness and family.
“Being a great dad,” Driver told Fox 6’s Tim Van Vooren in 2018, when asked what he was up to after football. “That’s what it’s about. For me, just enjoying myself. I’ve opened up two gyms now in Texas. I’m pretty busy trying to give kids an opportunity to have a better career than I did. I didn’t have all the resources that we have today, so if we can give those kids those opportunities then they are going to go on to be great athletes but also great people.”
As explained in the Milwaukee Business Journal, Driver since returned to Wisconsin, partnering with the Milwaukee Athletic Club to run its new fitness programs.
It’s unclear if Donald Driver will be able to help his clients get into NFL-quality shape. With that being said, though, Green Bay Packers fans will certainly be glad to see him back in Wisconsin.
Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference
