The Green Bay Packers’ special teams have been among the most inconsistent units in the league this decade. It has contributed to several painful playoff losses, including defeats to the San Francisco 49ers twice, the Chicago Bears, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Daniel Whelan, however, has remained the lone bright spot.
Daniel Whelan quickly became a dependable option for the Packers in his first two seasons in Green Bay. In 2023, he handled 57 punts while averaging 46.2 yards per kick, a mark that ranks second in franchise history for a single season. He also delivered 22 punts of 50-plus yards that year, tied for the third-most in a season by a Packers punter since 2000.
In 2024, he followed it up with 56 punts and a 46.1-yard average, which ranks third all-time in team history for a single season. He also made franchise history that year as the first Green Bay punter to average at least 46 yards per punt and 40 net yards per punt in the same season.
He was even better last year, ranking second in yards per punt, fifth in net punting, and third in hang time, while averaging 51.7 yards per punt over 49 attempts. Whelan totaled 49 punts for 2,533 gross yards that season, a mark that set a new standard in Green Bay’s record books. He also finished with 18 punts inside the 20-yard line and was the highest-graded punter in the league by Pro Football Focus.
Whelan also maintained his production in all conditions. He averaged 50.3 yards per punt in 13 outdoor games. Meanwhile, in the four indoor contests, he was even more explosive at 54.8. Whelan also stayed steady across the calendar, maintaining 50-plus-yard averages in every month of the season. Even at Lambeau Field, he was close to the 50-yard threshold, posting 49.2 yards per punt at home compared to 53.3 on the road.
It’s no coincidence Whelan has been so consistent. Last year, former Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia praised his work ethic during the offseason program, noting how he approached his preparation.
“It’s a credit to him and his work ethic and the way in which he’s improved,” Bisaccia said in September. “I think that the thing that gets overlooked a little bit is what he’s done the last few summers.”
Whelan has been the best punter Green Bay has had in quite some time. He also has quietly ranked among the better punters in the entire league.
Unfortunately, he has not always gotten the wider recognition his play deserves, largely because the rest of the special teams unit has been inconsistent and at times chaotic. Hopefully, with Cam Achord now in charge, that narrative starts to change, and Whelan finally gets more credit for what he brings to the Packers.
There’s a strong case that Daniel Whelan should have been an All-Pro last season. Even so, he should be right back in the conversation again this year if he continues on the same trajectory. At this point, the national recognition will likely come down to whether voters and analysts take a closer look at what he’s actually doing rather than overlooking him in a unit that hasn’t always helped his case.
