Stepping onto the turf as a first-round pick (6th overall) out of Stanford in 1978, James Lofton brought track-star speed and an extraordinary vertical leaping radius to Green Bay. The NCAA long jump champion wasted no time establishing himself as the premier big-play target in Titletown, hauling in 46 receptions for 818 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie to earn his first of seven Pro Bowl selections with the franchise.

Lofton’s brilliance defined Green Bay’s high-flying passing attack throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. Between 1980 and 1985, he recorded five 1,000-yard receiving seasons in six years, highlighted by a dominant stretch alongside quarterback Lynn Dickey. In 1983 and 1984, Lofton led the NFL in yards per reception in back-to-back seasons, averaging an astounding 22.4 and 22.0 yards per catch—including a career-high 1,361 receiving yards in 1984. Opposing secondaries simply could not contain his stride, forcing teams to roll safety help over the top or risk giving up instant long-distance scores, such as his career-long 83-yard touchdown run on a reverse against the Giants in 1982.

His durability in Wisconsin was just as remarkable as his speed; Lofton never missed a single game due to injury across his nine seasons in Titletown, starting 135 of 136 regular-season games. After departing Green Bay following the 1986 campaign, he continued stretching defenses for the Raiders, Bills, Rams, and Eagles. During his run in Buffalo, he remained a potent deep threat for a team that reached three consecutive Super Bowls, ultimately becoming the first receiver in league history to cross the 14,000-career-receiving-yards mark. His long-standing achievements in Green Bay earned him induction into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1999, followed by his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.  He was also chosen for the 1980s All-Decade Team.

Statistically, as a Packer, he compiled 530 receptions, 9,656 receiving yards, 49 receiving touchdowns, and 180 rushing yards with one touchdown.

Long before single-position specialists dominated professional football, Gonzaga alumnus Tony Canadeo provided Green Bay with an explosive, do-it-all weapon who defined the grittiest era of franchise history. Known affectionately as the "Gray Ghost" for his prematurely silver hair and ghost-like open-field vision, Canadeo took on every assignment Curly Lambeau threw his way—rushing, throwing, catching, returning kicks, punting, and lining up in the secondary.

Canadeo's two-way mastery helped keep Green Bay at the top of the NFL hierarchy during the 1940s. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 1943 after leading the squad in rushing and passing, then helped power the Packers to the 1944 NFL Championship over New York. After stepping away from football to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II, Canadeo returned to the Packers in 1946 without missing a beat. His defining individual peak arrived in 1949 when he rushed for 1,052 yards—becoming just the third player in NFL history (and the first in franchise history) to crack the single-season 1,000-yard barrier, a feat made all the more remarkable given it occurred during a 12-game schedule on a two-win team.

Upon his retirement following the 1952 campaign, Canadeo left as the franchise's all-time leading rusher. In 1952, Green Bay officially retired his No. 3—the first jersey number retired in the organization's historic existence. His enduring impact on the franchise led to his induction into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1973, followed by his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

Across 11 active seasons spent entirely with the Green Bay Packers (1941–1944, 1946–1952), Canadeo played in 116 regular-season games with 85 starts, plus two postseason contests (two postseason starts). He compiled 4,197 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns, 1,642 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, 69 receptions, 579 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns, nine interceptions, 51 punts, and 1,385 total return yards.