1966 Green Bay Packers season
General managerVince Lombardi
Head coachVince Lombardi
Home fieldLambeau Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
Local radioWTMJ
Results
Record12–2
Division place1st NFL Western
Playoff finishWon NFL Championship
(at Cowboys) 34–27
Won Super Bowl I
(vs. Chiefs) 35–10
Pro BowlersHerb Adderley, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Henry Jordan, Dave Robinson, Bob Skoronski, Bart Starr, Willie Wood
AP All-ProsHerb Adderley, Lee Roy Caffey, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Jerry Kramer, Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr, Willie Wood

The 1966 Green Bay Packers season was their 48th season overall and their 46th in the National Football League (NFL). The defending NFL champions had a league-best regular season record of 12–2, led by eighth-year head coach Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr, in his eleventh NFL season.

The Packers and the Chiefs in the first AFL–NFL Championship Game (Super Bowl I)

The Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL championship game, the Packers' second consecutive NFL title, fourth under Lombardi, and tenth for the franchise. Two weeks later, the Packers recorded a 35–10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the inaugural AFL-NFL Championship Game, retroactively known as Super Bowl I.

Quarterback Starr was named the league's most valuable player (MVP) in 1966. Said Cold Hard Football Facts about Starr's 1966 season, "Starr, always underappreciated, was at his classic assassin-like best in 1966, his lone MVP season. He led the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating, while his 4.7-to-1 [touchdown-to-interception] ratio remains one of the very best in history. Starr, as always, cranked out great performances when he absolutely had to: the 1966 Packers, for example, were the worst rushing team in football, with a meager average of 3.5 [yards-per-attempt] on the ground, despite the reputation Lombardi's Packers still carry with them today as a dominant running team."[1] Cold Hard Football Facts also notes that 1966 Packers had the best passer rating differential (offensive passer rating minus opponents passer rating), +56.0, in the Super Bowl Era. [2]

In 2007, the 1966 Packers were ranked as the sixth greatest Super Bowl champions on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, with team commentary from Bill Curry, Willie Davis, and Bart Starr, and narrated by Donald Sutherland. More than a decade later, this team ranked #13 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[3][4]

Offseason

The Washington Redskins made overtures to Vince Lombardi about becoming their new head coach. Lombardi refused their offer and the Redskins had to settle for Otto Graham as their new head coach.[5] Lombardi replaced Graham in Washington in 1969.

NFL draft

In the 1966 NFL draft, held in late November 1965, the Packers selected running back Jim Grabowski of Illinois with the ninth overall pick.[6] Common for pro football in the mid-1960s, the Packers found themselves in a bidding war for Grabowski. The expansion Miami Dolphins of the American Football League selected Grabowski with the first overall selection of the AFL Draft, held the same day.[7] Lombardi's plan was to groom Grabowski to take over for Jim Taylor at fullback. Despite being offered more money by the Dolphins, Grabowski said it was an honor to be drafted by the Packers.[8] Grabowski signed with the Packers and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated in August, with veteran backfield tandem Paul Hornung and Taylor on the main cover and rookies Grabowski and Donny Anderson on the foldout.[9][10] The signing of Grabowski upset Taylor, who felt that he was underpaid and made it publicly known that he would leave Green Bay once his contract expired. Taylor had been given an offer by the expansion Atlanta Falcons, but agreed to honor his contract before moving to another team and played out his option in 1966.[11][12][13][14]

Fellow rookie running back Anderson of Texas Tech was the seventh overall selection of the 1965 draft as an underclassman, and he stayed in school for his senior season in 1965. Due to their large contracts, signed during the height of the pre-merger bidding war with the AFL, as well as their high visibility as the apparent replacements for Hornung and Taylor, Anderson and Grabowski were nicknamed the "Gold Dust Twins."[15]

The 1966 draft (November 1965) was the last one held separately for the two leagues. Following the merger agreement of June 1966, a common draft was conducted in March 1967.

RoundSelectionOverallPlayerPositionCollege
199Jim GrabowskiFBIllinois
11313Gale GillinghamGMinnesota
21430Tom CichowskiOTMaryland
31345Fred HeronDESan Jose State
31446Tony JeterTENebraska
41462John RoderickWRSMU
713108Ray MillerDLIdaho
814124Ken McLeanWRTexas A&M
913138Ron RectorRBNorthwestern
1014154Sam MontgomeryDLSouthern
1113168Ralph WenzelOLSan Diego State
1214184Jim MankinsRBFlorida State
1313198Ed KingLBUSC
1414214Ron HansonWRNorth Dakota State
1513228Grady BoltonOLMississippi State
1614244Bob SchultzDLWisconsin–Stevens Point
1713258Dave HathcockCBMemphis State
1814274Jim JonesDENebraska-Omaha
1913288Dave MotonWRUSC
2014304Ed MarasWRSouth Dakota State

Roster

1966 Green Bay Packers final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists

Currently vacant
Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 , 0 practice squad

Source:[16][17]

Preseason

DateOpponentSiteResultScore'

Regular season

The defending champion Packers finished the regular season with a league best record of 12–2, returning them to the NFL championship game as Western Conference champions. Until 1975, NFL playoff sites were rotated, so the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys (10–3–1) hosted the title game in 1966 at the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1967.

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordGame siteAttendance
1September 10Baltimore ColtsW, 24–31–0Milwaukee County Stadium
48,650
2September 18at Cleveland BrownsW, 21–202–0Cleveland Stadium
83,943
3September 25Los Angeles RamsW, 24–133–0Lambeau Field
50,861
4October 2Detroit LionsW, 23–144–0Lambeau Field
50,861
5October 9at San Francisco 49ersL, 20–214–1Kezar Stadium
39,290
6October 16at Chicago BearsW, 17–05–1Wrigley Field
48,573
7October 23Atlanta FalconsW, 56–36–1Milwaukee County Stadium
48,623
8October 30at Detroit LionsW, 31–77–1Tiger Stadium
56,954
9November 6Minnesota VikingsL, 17–207–2Lambeau Field
50,861
10November 13Bye
11November 20Chicago BearsW, 13–68–2Lambeau Field
50,861
12November 27at Minnesota VikingsW, 28–169–2Metropolitan Stadium
47,426
13December 4San Francisco 49ersW, 20–710–2Milwaukee County Stadium
48,725
14December 10at Baltimore ColtsW, 14–1011–2Memorial Stadium
60,238
15December 18at Los Angeles RamsW, 27–2312–2Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
72,416
  • Saturday (September 10, December 10)
  • A bye week was necessary in 1966, as the league expanded to an odd-number (15) of teams (Atlanta); one team was idle each week.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Green Bay Packers 12 2 0 .857 10–2 335 163 W5
Baltimore Colts 9 5 0 .643 7–5 314 226 W1
Los Angeles Rams 8 6 0 .571 6–6 289 212 L1
San Francisco 49ers 6 6 2 .500 5–5–2 320 325 L1
Chicago Bears 5 7 2 .417 4–6–2 234 272 W1
Detroit Lions 4 9 1 .308 3–8–1 206 317 L3
Minnesota Vikings 4 9 1 .308 4–7–1 292 304 L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Game summaries

Week 1 vs. Baltimore Colts

Week One: Baltimore Colts (0–0) at Green Bay Packers (0–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
Colts 0 3 003
Packers 0 14 10024

at Milwaukee County Stadium • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 2: at Cleveland Browns

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 7 7721
Browns 7 10 0320

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 6 7013
Packers 7 10 0724

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions

Period 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 7 0714
Packers 10 7 3323

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 3 0 10720
49ers 0 7 7721

at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

Game information

Week 6: at Chicago Bears

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 0 10717
Bears 0 0 000

at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 0 303
Packers 7 21 72156

at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 8: at Detroit Lions

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 17 7731
Lions 0 7 007

at Tiger Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 10 01020
Packers 7 3 7017

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 10: vs. Chicago Bears

Period 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 0 066
Packers 0 7 0613

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 14 0728
Vikings 3 0 6716

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game information

Week 12: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Period 1 2 34Total
49ers 0 0 077
Packers 7 0 01320

at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 13: at Baltimore Colts

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 0 0714
Colts 0 10 0010

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

Zeke Bratkowski relieved Bart Starr, who suffered a muscle spasm in the first half. Bratkowski directed an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a go-ahead touchdown run by Elijah Pitts. John Unitas then led the Colts to the Green Bay 15, but there lost a fumble which came to be known as the 'Million Dollar Fumble', to secure the Packers' win that clinched the Western Conference crown.[18]

Week 14: at Los Angeles Rams

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 10 01027
Rams 3 6 01423

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Game information

Postseason

NFL Championship Game

Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 14 7 7634
Cowboys 14 3 3727

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: Sunday, January 1
  • Game attendance: 74,152
  • Box Score
Game information

Green Bay took an early 14–0 lead on two first-quarter scores; a 17-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr to Elijah Pitts and an 18-yard fumble return by Jim Grabowski on the ensuing kickoff. The Cowboys tied the score with two touchdowns towards the end of the quarter.

Starr's third touchdown pass of the game gave the Packers a 34–20 lead with 5:20 left in the game, but the Cowboys responded with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Don Meredith to Frank Clarke. Dallas advanced to the Green Bay 22-yard line on their next drive, when a pass interference penalty gave the Cowboys a first down at the Packer 2-yard line. But Green Bay's Tom Brown intercepted a Meredith pass in the end zone with 28 seconds left to play to preserve the victory for the Packers.

With the win, the Packers earned their 10th NFL championship. It was their second in a row and fourth in six seasons.

Super Bowl I

Period 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 0 10 0010
Packers 7 7 14735

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Date: Sunday, January 15
  • Game time: 1:15 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), sunny[19]
  • Game attendance: 61,946
  • Box Score
Game information

The first AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I, was played on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The Packers faced the Kansas City Chiefs from the AFL, who finished their regular season at 11–2–1.

In the week prior to the game, the Packers practiced at UC Santa Barbara, and the Chiefs at Veterans Field in Long Beach.[20]

The Packers jumped out to an early 7–0 lead with Bart Starr's 37-yard touchdown pass to reserve receiver Max McGee, who had been put into the game just a few plays earlier to fill in for injured starter Boyd Dowler. Early in the second quarter, Kansas City marched 66 yards in 6 plays to tie the game on a 7-yard pass from quarterback Len Dawson to Curtis McClinton. But the Packers responded on their next drive, advancing 73 yards down the field and scoring on fullback Jim Taylor's 14-yard touchdown run with the team's famed "Power Sweep" play. The Chiefs then cut the lead with a minute left in the half, 14–10, on Mike Mercer's 31-yard field goal.

Early in the second half Dawson was intercepted by defensive back Willie Wood. He returned the interception 50 yards to the Kansas City 5-yard line. On the next play Elijah Pitts rushed 5-yards for a touchdown, giving the Packers a 21–10 lead. Max McGee scored his second touchdown of the game with a 13-yard reception from Bart Starr. The Packers held the Chiefs' offense to 12 yards in the third quarter. Elijah Pitts scored another touchdown for the Packers in the third quarter on a one-yard touchdown run. The Packers would win the game 35–10. Quarterback Bart Starr was named the MVP of the game, completing 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Statistics

Team leaders

Category Player(s) Value
Passing yardsBart Starr2,257
Passing touchdownsBart Starr14
Rushing yardsJim Taylor763
Rushing touchdownsElijah Pitts7
Receiving yardsCarroll Dale 876
Receiving touchdownsCarroll Dale7
PointsDon Chandler77
Kickoff return yardsDonny Anderson533
Punt return yardsDonny Anderson124
InterceptionsDave Robinson/Bob Jeter5
Sacks Lionel Aldridge 12.5

Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.[21]

League rankings

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 15)
Passing offense2,602173.56th
Rushing offense1,673111.58th
Total offense4,2752858th
Passing defense1,959130.61st
Rushing defense1,644109.66th
Total defense3,603298.53rd

Awards and records

References

  1. ↑ "Cold Hard Football Facts: The Dandy Dozen: 12 best passing seasons in history". Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Cold Hard Football Facts: 40 and Fabulous: in praise of passer rating". Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
  4. ↑ "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
  5. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 453, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  6. ↑ 1966 Green Bay Packers draft on Database Football Archived 2006-12-07 at the Wayback Machine obtained 18 December 2006.
  7. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 396
  8. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 383, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  9. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 384, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  10. ↑ "(cover)". Sports Illustrated. August 22, 1966.
  11. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 385, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  12. ↑ "Jim Taylor playing out his option". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. October 24, 1966. p. 16.
  13. ↑ "Vince bans scribe after Taylor story". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 25, 1966. p. 15.
  14. ↑ Kuechle, Oliver E. (October 27, 1966). "The case of Jim Taylor of Green Bay". Milwaukee Journal. p. 17, part 2.
  15. ↑ "Jim Grabowski quits pro ball". Bryan Times. UPI. September 2, 1972. p. 7.
  16. ↑ "Pro title rosters". Pittsburgh Press. January 1, 1967. p. 2, section 4.
  17. ↑ "1966 Green Bay Packers Roster & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  18. ↑ "THE $1,000,000 FUMBLE". Sports Illustrated. December 19, 1966.
  19. ↑ Pro Football Hall of Fame: Super Bowl Game-Time Temperatures
  20. ↑ "Green Bay to train at San. Barbara". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 5, 1967. p. 20.
  21. ↑ "Pre-1982 Sacks Added To Pro Football Reference". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
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