What is the "Donald Driver Mentality"?

The 13-year veteran may have rubbed off on some of the Packers receiving corps in the few years they shared.

Spending five years with an outgoing, seasoned veteran in a pass-happy offense doesn't have a secret result - that veteran leaves a mark. You just might inherit some of his traits.

Especially when that veteran is Donald Driver.

Driver, the all-time leading receiver in Green Bay Packers history, always had a smile that lit up the field. So bright you'd probably be blinded from the nosebleed seats in section 742S. There was something special about him though that seems almost like a rarity in today's league.

He was quiet, but quietly successful. Driver got on the field, did his job and got off. Never jawed with opposing players, always passionately humble and at 36, carried the work ethic of an 18-year old with a Division I scholarship. Even with a dwindling amount of targets due to the younger receiving corps on the rise. The only fighting Driver ever did was against breast cancer as well as numerous of other charity events in his name.

This mindset Driver carried seemed to have influenced current top target in the Packers' aerial attack and Driver's former teammate for five seasons, Jordy Nelson.

Nelson carries himself almost the same, precise way his "mentor" did. Aside from Driver's iconic "shimmy" dance that can never  be duplicated (I don't care who you are, it's not happening), the two share similar traits. Either that or Nelson's just naturally a soft-spoken kid from a small town in Riley, Kansas.

It's not very often you see Nelson spiking a football as a celebration or mad-dogging the corners who try to lock him in place. Instead, he'll politely toss the ball to the nearest black-and-white shirt and head to the Green Bay sideline. Of course, not without a little celebrating with his teammates.

We're not counting Lambeau Leaps, because let's be realistic, that's a necessity if you're sporting the Green and Gold.

Nelson has instead shown that he's capable of following in Driver's humble footsteps into Packers lore with his playing style. How his career will end up is still a mystery, especially coming off an ACL repairment at 31-years of age.

Nonetheless, Nelson has proven to be the focal point in the Packers' offense, much like Driver was for so long. His path moving forward will likely be replicated, which is a plus for the Packers.

While Driver moved on to the next stage of his life post-football, Nelson has since become the newest veteran to lead the receiving group. With that, it may just be his responsibility to prove as a source of emulation for the younger players on the wide receiver totem pole, sans Randall Cobb. (He's already considered a veteran, can you believe it?)

Before my words are likely misconstrued: NO, this is not a Driver/Nelson comparison. Hold your horses.

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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].

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Comments (12)

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Bedrock's picture

July 19, 2016 at 01:17 pm

Who among the WRs carry a diva persona? TT knows there can be one alpha, and it can't be anyone other than Rodgers. I'm not sure how much that plays into the draft/evaluation process, but once Jennings started showing signs of it...gone.

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ZacharyJacobson's picture

July 19, 2016 at 01:34 pm

I'm proud to say I don't think there are any divas in the WR corps at the moment. I can definitely attest to the fact that Jennings sure was one. As outgoing and charismatic of a guy as he was, he was a little out of hand come late 2012.

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Bohj's picture

July 19, 2016 at 02:45 pm

Jennings wasn't fired or let go. His contract was up. He wanted to get paid more. The Pack offered him his market worth. Jennings decided he could get more..... and signed with the Vikes for less because his pride was hurt. Outside of that prideful bitterness, Jennings was never a diva. Jennings was awesome as a Packer. His legacy as a Packer was tarnished only because he went to play for the purple......and because of his comments from his hurt pride....that he has since apologized for. Give the guy a break....he helped us win a Superbowl. I'll never forget that Polomalu hit.

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ZacharyJacobson's picture

July 19, 2016 at 02:51 pm

I'm a well-known Jennings stan across Twitter and defend him religiously. He's one of my favorite Packer receivers to ever suit up, believe it or not. Him going to Minnesota was no different than Favre doing the same thing. Both wanted to play. Jennings didn't feel the Packers wanted him enough or appreciated him. Yeah, I can understand his shitty comments but when you join a division rival, you're going to try and impress them and prove in a sense that you hold no ties to your former team, who, again, is a rival.

I don't hold any ill feelings for Jennings. Like you said, he helped bring home a Lombardi. But regardless, he was sort of a diva around the end of his Green Bay tenure. Either way it doesn't change how I personally view him. Still one of my all-time favorites.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 20, 2016 at 12:07 am

I don't agree that Jennings was a diva. I think it is factually wrong to suggest that (assuming for the sake of the argument) when Jennings started showing signs of being a diva, TT dumped him. Rather, TT offered Jennings a handsome contract.

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PaulRosik's picture

July 19, 2016 at 10:18 pm

Nelson's work ethic goes back to his home life. Even now when he has millions of dollars he will go back home and work on the farm during the offseason. No doubt a total pro like Driver taught him well how to practice and prepare, but the work ethic was in him long before that.

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D.D.Driver's picture

July 19, 2016 at 04:31 pm

My favorite Driver memory. Middle of a forgettable 4-12 season, down 19 points at Carolina. The entire team was dejected and looked like they were just phoning it in. Driver made a huge first down catch and slapped the ball in his hands and stared down the rest of his team. It was almost like he was begging the rest of them to just play football dammit. From that catch forward, drive by drive, the Packers made plays. They came *this close* to completing the comeback. In the end, Driver couldn't haul in a well defended pass. Packers lost by 3. Total heart breaker.

The end didn't diminish that Driver was the *one guy* in the whole stadium that still thought the Packers could win. And he almost willed it to happen.

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EdsLaces's picture

July 19, 2016 at 04:42 pm

My favorite DD moment was the San Francisco play where 2 guys flipped off him and he took it to the house.

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Cheesejam's picture

July 19, 2016 at 08:18 pm

It's about continuing the legacy of great receivers, passing it from one generation to the next. From Sharpe to Brooks to Freeman to Driver and now Nelson carries the torch. If he can stay healthy Montgomery will be next in line.
But one has to think that if our receivers don't step up this year we're in trouble. They were absolutely punked at the LOS. Imo the guy with the most pressure is Adams. He has to come into this year like his career is on the line. Call me crazy but I really like Abby and I'm not a Badger homer either. He has the potential to be that security blanket type receiver. He'll get the most favorable matchup and with his route running he can take advantage.

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 19, 2016 at 08:59 pm

"Cheesejam" is an excellent screen name. Well done.

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NickPerry's picture

July 20, 2016 at 06:05 am

I love the way Nelson plays, no antics, no showboating, just an attitude of I've been to the end zone before and I'm going to do it again. Barry Sanders never celebrated a TD, LT was much the same. They just handed the ball to an official as to say "I'll see you back here in just awhile".

I believe Nelson will come back and play exactly like he did in 2014. More and more players are coming back from those type of injuries each year and play at the level they did before the injury. I think a lot of HOW a player comes back has to do with his work ethic and Nelson has it in spades. I think it's realistic to believe Nelson can play at the same level he has for the next 2 seasons, then like any 33 year old he begin to slow down. He can still be successful, just at a slower pace.

I always like Driver and never thought of him as a showboat. A shimmy here or there was hardly much of a case of showboating. He stayed in Green Bay his entire career, something I hope Nelson and Cobb are able to do.

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stockholder's picture

July 20, 2016 at 07:10 am

Donald's mentality was catch the ball First. Drive down the field second. He knew it wasn't about second chances. The team came first. How many packers failed because they thought about themselves. You didn't have to tell Donald how to play the game. He will always be a Fan Favorite.

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