Editing Donald Driver (section)

==Professional career==
Driver was selected by the [[Green Bay Packers]] in the seventh round of the [[1999 NFL draft]] with the 213th overall pick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1999/draft.htm |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He spent his entire career with the Packers.

[[File:Donald Driver.jpg|thumb|left|Donald Driver in a game against the [[Minnesota Vikings]] on November 14, 2011.]]
Known as one of the most consistent wide receivers in the game,<ref>{{cite web | title = Packers' Driver determined to give back | publisher = Milwaukee Journal – Sentinel |author= Lori Nickel | url = http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/95703134.html  | access-date = September 27, 2010}}</ref> Driver was not particularly productive his first three seasons in Green Bay (1999–2001), as he was behind wide receivers Antonio Freeman and Corey Bradford on the depth chart. With the departure of Freeman and Bradford, Driver blossomed in a starting role.

Driver was solid throughout his career, often posting 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Driver had the most catches in the [[NFL]] in the middle of the field in 2006. He set a career best for yards on November 12, 2006, when he caught six passes for 191 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown against the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref>[http://www.packers.com/pdfs/Driver08.pdf Packers - Donald Driver Bio] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205051525/http://www.packers.com/pdfs/Driver08.pdf |date=February 5, 2010 }}</ref> Driver finished the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]] in the top five of the league in reception yardage with 1,295 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 NFL Receiving |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/receiving.htm |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He also recorded the most receptions in his career with 92 of them, earning a spot in the [[2007 Pro Bowl]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/probowl.htm |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
On December 16, 2007, during a 33–14 victory over the [[St. Louis Rams]], veteran Green Bay [[quarterback]] [[Brett Favre]] broke [[Dan Marino]]'s all-time record mark of 61,361 career passing yards. The new record came on a seven-yard completion to Driver.<ref name="passyardsrecord">{{cite web | url = http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/nfl/news/ABN4117777.htm | title = Favre passes Marino; Packers down Rams to clinch bye | publisher = TheSportsNetwork.com | access-date = December 16, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Driver was selected for the [[2008 Pro Bowl]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/probowl.htm |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In the NFC Championship game on January 20, 2008, against the [[New York Giants]], Driver had the longest play in the playoffs of the Packers' franchise history with a 90-yard touchdown catch from Favre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280120009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123084759/http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280120009|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 23, 2008|title=Giants vs. Packers - Game Recap - January 20, 2008 - ESPN|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

On October 18, 2009, Driver became the [[Green Bay Packers]]' all-time leading receiver in catches, with 596. He went on to catch six more balls for 107 yards in a 26–0 home victory over the [[Detroit Lions]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers - October 18th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910180gnb.htm |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On September 8, 2011, Driver caught four balls for 41 yards in the opening game against the [[New Orleans Saints]] and was only one yard short of becoming the Packers' all-time leader in receiving yards. Driver finally broke the Packers' all-time receiving yardage record on September 18, 2011, against the Carolina Panthers after he caught a 10-yard pass from [[Aaron Rodgers]], surpassing [[James Lofton]].

On February 6, 2011, Driver was injured on his second reception of [[Super Bowl XLV]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crouse |first=Karen |date=February 7, 2011 |title=When Injuries Flared, Packers Had Able Spares |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/sports/football/07crouse-super-bowl-packers.html |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Out with an ankle sprain, Driver returned to the game in the end for the final plays as the Packers went on to beat the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] 31–25.  Driver finished Super Bowl XLV with two receptions for 28 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201102060pit.htm |title=Super Bowl XLV - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers - February 6th, 2011 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref> Despite losing playing time to [[Greg Jennings]] and [[Jordy Nelson]], Driver was a veteran presence for a young Packers receiving corps led by NFL MVP QB [[Aaron Rodgers]] in the twilight of Driver's career.

===Retirement===
On January 31, 2013, Driver announced his retirement on [[ESPN2]] [[Mike and Mike in the Morning]] after spending his entire career (14 seasons) with the Green Bay Packers.<ref>[http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/From-humble-start-Donald-Driver-retires-in-greatness/c7fe6b9d-e3ca-4009-8482-a14e6665c72b "From humble start, Donald Driver retires in greatness"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202205050/http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/From-humble-start-Donald-Driver-retires-in-greatness/c7fe6b9d-e3ca-4009-8482-a14e6665c72b |date=February 2, 2013 }}. Packers.com.</ref> He missed only eight games in his career outside of his rookie season, the last one being November 18, 2012.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130123174147/http://www.foxsportswisconsin.com/12/05/12/Drivers-broken-thumb-adds-to-injury-woes/landing_packers.html?blockID=831165&feedID=5059 "Driver's broken thumb adds to injury woes"]. Fox Sports.</ref>

On February 6, 2013, the Green Bay Packers hosted a public retirement ceremony for Driver. This was the first public retirement ceremony ever held for a Packers player. It was held in the Lambeau Field Atrium with comments made by Mark Murphy, Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy, and Driver. It was sold out in 14 minutes and hundreds of fans were in attendance. The mayor of Green Bay presented Driver with a key to the city and announced that the receiver statue that previously resided in front of the former Packers Hall of Fame and is now in downtown Green Bay would be refurbished, with the receiver wearing a No. 80 Driver jersey. The street leading to the statue was also renamed "Donald Driver Way."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Donald-Driver-others-share-memories-of-great-career/5c15f70c-6062-421c-b6d0-9963d44b3649|title=Donald Driver, others share memories of great career|access-date=November 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903031036/http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Donald-Driver-others-share-memories-of-great-career/5c15f70c-6062-421c-b6d0-9963d44b3649|archive-date=September 3, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On July 22, 2017, Driver was inducted into the [[Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame]].<ref name="i797">{{cite web | title=Donald Driver, Mark Lee inducted into Packers Hall of Fame | publisher=FOX Sports | date=2017-07-22 | url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/donald-driver-mark-lee-inducted-into-packers-hall-of-fame | access-date=2025-03-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.packers.com/history/hof/donald-driver | title = Donald Driver | last = Christl | first = Cliff | author-link = Cliff Christl | website = Packers.com | access-date = September 20, 2023 | archive-date = May 23, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230523020207/https://www.packers.com/history/hof/donald-driver | url-status = live }}</ref>