Matt Flynn to get start vs. Lions

— -- GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For the first time in more than 50 years, the Green Bay Packers will use four starting quarterbacks in one season.

That will become official on Thursday, when Matt Flynn starts against the Detroit Lions.

Coach Mike McCarthy made that announcement Wednesday, when he also ruled out Aaron Rodgers for a fourth straight game because of the broken collarbone he sustained Nov. 4 against the Chicago Bears.

Rodgers returned to practice Tuesday in a limited fashion but was not cleared for game action. Scott Tolzien, who started the previous two games, will be the backup.

"We wanted to make sure Aaron had an opportunity to get down on the field and work, and then as a staff as we went through the plan, Matt took the starter reps from Day 1," McCarthy said. "It's like anything; you just wanted to make sure. I was more focused on getting them both ready, as I stated on Monday."

Flynn's preparation time was limited given that the Packers held abbreviated practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. It will be his third career start for the Packers but first since the regular-season finale against the Lions in 2011, when he set team records for passing yards (480) and touchdown passes (six).

The Packers re-signed Flynn on Nov. 12 after Seneca Wallace -- the first starter to replace Rodgers -- sustained a season-ending groin injury. Flynn then relieved the struggling Tolzien in the second half of last Sunday's 26-26 tie with the Minnesota Vikings and helped rally the Packers from a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit.

Flynn was one of only three quarterbacks to start for the Packers from Sept. 27, 1992 (when Brett Favre took over) to Nov. 4, 2013 (when Rodgers got hurt).

According to the team's official records, the Packers have not started more than three different quarterbacks in a season dating to 1959. The Packers' media guide does not list starting quarterbacks by game prior to the 1959 season.