The Legacy Behind the NFL Team With Most Wins Circles Back to the Packers
How the Green Bay Packers Built a Century of Consistent Success
If you’ve ever watched an NFL game, chances are you’ve heard the name Green Bay Packers more than once. That’s not accidental. This is a franchise that has been around since 1919 and has managed to stay relevant across generations of players, coaches, and fans. When people ask about the NFL team with the most wins, the answer almost always circles back to Green Bay.
The Packers are not just old. They are successful in a way that very few sports organizations have managed to be over an entire century.
NFL Franchise With the Most Victories
The story begins on August 11, 1919, when Earl “Curly” Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun founded the team. Lambeau secured $500 from his employer, the Indian Packing Company, to buy uniforms and equipment, under one condition: the team had to carry the company’s name. That is how the Green Bay Packers were born.
More than a century later, they remain the NFL franchise with the most victories in league history, with over 800 wins and counting. They also hold 13 league championships, more than any other team. What makes this even more remarkable is that the Packers have stayed in the same small Wisconsin city since their creation, showing an impressive continuity and loyalty to their homeland.
This kind of stability is rare in professional sports, and it has helped build a fan base that extends far beyond Wisconsin.
The Lombardi Era and the Standard It Set
Any discussion about Green Bay Packers coaches must include Vince Lombardi. Hired in 1959, Lombardi transformed the team almost immediately. In his first season, the Packers posted their first winning record in over a decade. What followed was one of the most dominant stretches in NFL history.
Between 1961 and 1967, the Packers won five championships, including the first two Super Bowls ever played. Lombardi set a standard for how football should be played and how teams should be led.
His impact was so profound that the Super Bowl trophy now carries his name.
That era is a big reason why the Packers sit at the top when people debate the NFL team with the most wins across all eras.
Is the Packers’ Win Record Likely to Be Broken?
The Packers hold one of the best all-time winning percentages in NFL history. They have recorded more than two dozen winning seasons in the last three decades alone. Sustained success like that is not easy to replicate.
Other historic franchises like the Chicago Bears and New York Giants have long histories, but few teams have managed to combine longevity with consistent competitiveness the way Green Bay has.
Because of this, many analysts believe the Packers’ position as the NFL franchise with the most victories will stand for many years to come.
How Do Super Bowl Titles Relate to Total Wins?
A common question fans ask is: which team has the most Super Bowls, and how much of a difference does that make in total wins?
The franchises that hold the most Super Bowl championships are tied with six titles each: The New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers have four. That may sound like a discrepancy, but total franchise victories and Super Bowl titles are measuring different things.
Super Bowls reflect success in the modern playoff format. Total wins reflect performance across decades, rule changes, eras, and formats. The Packers’ record of total wins sets them apart from other franchises, and shows how they manage to stay competitive for 100 years is another story entirely.
Why Are the Green Bay Packers Historically So Successful?
One of the biggest reasons for Green Bay’s stability is something no other team can claim: the Packers are community-owned. They are the only non-profit, publicly owned franchise in major American sports.
There is no billionaire owner. Instead, the team is run by a board of directors elected by shareholders. This structure eliminates many of the profit-first pressures found in other franchises and allows football decisions to remain front and center.
This approach has helped draw top-flight leadership at all levels over the years — from iconic coaches to respected general managers. Ted Thompson and Mike Sherman have been very effective in seeing that the franchise remains organized and competitive.
Quarterbacks, Culture, and Continuity
Green Bay has consistently had elite talent under center, from Bart Starr to Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers. That kind of stability at the most important position in football naturally leads to wins.
Their most recent Super Bowl victory came in 2011, when Aaron Rodgers led the Packers past the Steelers with a three-touchdown performance. It was a reminder that this historic franchise is not living in the past; it is still capable of winning on the biggest stage.