1959 Green Bay Packers season

NFL team season November 2013 March 2026 Green Bay Packers 1959 7–5 3rd (tied) NFL Western Vince Lombardi Vince Lombardi City StadiumMilwaukee County Stadium Did not qualify Packers seasons The 1959 Green Bay Packers season was their 39th season in the National Football League and 41st overall. The team finished with a 7–5 record in the 1959 season under first-year coach Vince Lombardi to earn a third-place finish in the Western Conference. It was the Packers' first winning season in a dozen years, the last being a 6–5–1 mark in 1947. Green Bay had just one victory during the previous season in 1958 with the worst record in the twelve-team league, and were 3–9 in 1957, tied for worst. Hired in early February, Lombardi was previously the offensive coach (coordinator) for the New York Giants under head coach Jim Lee Howell. Offseason NFL draft 1959 NFL draft Round Pick Player Position School/Club team11Randy DuncanQuarterbackIowa213Alex HawkinsBackSouth Carolina325Boyd DowlerWide receiverColorado555Andy CverckoGuardNorthwestern661Willie TaylorCenterFlorida A&M773Bobby JacksonBackAlabama783Gary RaidTackleWillamette885Buddy MayfieldEndSouth Carolina895Bob LarabaBackTexas Western997George DixonBackBridgeport10109Sam TuccioTackleSouthern Miss11121Bob WebbBackSt. Ambrose12133Larry HallGuardMissouri Valley13145Jim HurdBackAlbion14157Ken KerrGuardArizona State15169Dick TeteakGuardWisconsin16181Dan EdgingtonEndFlorida17193Tom SeculesBackWilliam & Mary18205Dick NearentsTackleEastern Washington19217Bill ButlerSafetyChattanooga20229Charley SampleBackArkansas21241Dave SmithBackRipon (WI)22253Charlie AndersonEndDrake23265Ben LawverTackleLewis & Clark24277Joe HergertCenterFlorida25289Leroy HardeeBackFlorida A&M26301Ken HigginbothamEndTrinity (TX)27313Timothy BrownRunning backBall State28325Jerry EppsGuardWest Texas State29337Jack FlaraBackPittsburgh30349Dick EmerichTackleWest Chester Yellow indicates a future Pro Bowl selection The Lombardi Era begins January 2026 section On February 4, 1959, Vince Lombardi seized his opportunity and began building his football dynasty in Green Bay. He arrived after both phases of the draft (December 1 and January 21),https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bh8aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rCUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6945%2C3786870 Milwaukee Journal Johnson Chuck Packers name Vince Lombardi head coach, general manager January 29, 1959 11, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9TEoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=siUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2271%2C1715341 Milwaukee Journal Johnson Chuck Lombardi reception warm, despite cold February 3, 1959 14, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1t5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rCUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7452%2C772485 Milwaukee Journal National football League draft January 22, 1959 14, part 2 and started by trading away the Packers' best receiver of the decade, Billy Howton, to the Cleveland Browns. To bring some much-needed leadership to the defensive backfield, Lombardi obtained future Hall of Famer Emlen Tunnell from the New York Giants. He also acquired Fuzzy Thurston from the Baltimore Colts and defensive tackle Henry Jordan from Cleveland by the start of training camp. In all, 16 veterans from the previous season were sent packing as Lombardi installed a new attitude in the Packers' locker room. Training camp Lombardi borrowed from the Giants model — the players had to feel like champions. The team traveled first class under the philosophy that "you can't be a winner unless you feel like one." The change in culture was pronounced. Lombardi had to find a quarterback, and he was resistant to making Bart Starr the quarterback. Starr was in his fourth year in the league and had not won a game in which he had played four quarters. "Did Bart tell you how bad he was?" a player was to later quip to biographer John Eisenberg. Former Razorback Lamar McHan beat out Starr, while veteran Babe Parilli was cut in mid-September, along with rookie running back Alex Hawkins, the thirteenth overall selection in the 1959 NFL draft.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zwEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zSUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6939%2C2878916 Milwaukee Journal Johnson Chuck Babe Parilli is dropped by Packers September 15, 1959 14, part 2 July 21, 2018 May 5, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200505213305/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zwEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zSUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6939,2878916 dead Master plan Through his coaching style, Lombardi changed the Packers into winners. He put his plan into effect at his first team meeting. "I have never been on a losing team, gentlemen, and I do not intend to start now!" Dramatic improvement The results of Lombardi's approach were dramatic. In the season opener against the Chicago Bears, the Packers held on to win 9–6 and celebrated the victory by carrying their new head coach off the field. In his first year on the sidelines, the Packers posted their first winning record since 1947. The team's quick turnaround netted Lombardi unanimous honors as NFL coach of the year. Schedule Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Sources 1 August 15 Chicago Bears L 16–19 Milwaukee County Stadium 28,286 2 August 23 at San Francisco 49ers W 24–17 Kezar Stadium 18,916 3 August 29 vs. Philadelphia Eagles W 45–28 Portland, OR 25,456 4 September 5 vs. New York Giants L 0–14 Bangor, ME 20,000 5 September 12 vs. Washington Redskins W 20–13 Winston-Salem, NC 15,000 6 September 20 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers W 13–10 Minneapolis, MN 18,081 Regular season 1959 NFL season Lombardi's first regular season game as Packers coach was on September 27, against the rival Chicago Bears;When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 225, Simon & Schuster, 1999, 978-0-684-84418-3 before 32,150 in Green Bay, they upset the Bears. In the final seven minutes, the previously scoreless Packers put up nine points to win 9–6. After Chicago fumbled a punt return, fullback Jim Taylor scored a touchdown, and Paul Hornung's extra point gave them a 7–6 lead. Max McGee's sixty-one-yard punt landed on the Bears' two-yard line and set up the final score of the game; Hawg Hanner scored a safety by tackling Chicago quarterback Ed Brown in the end zone.When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 226, Simon & Schuster, 1999, 978-0-684-84418-3https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W0sNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OWwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5655%2C4683692 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Packers beat Bears, 9-6, for Lombardi September 28, 1959 27 After the game, center Jim Ringo grabbed the game ball and gave it to Lombardi. Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 27 Chicago Bears W 9–6 1–0 City Stadium 32,150 Recap 2 October 4 Detroit Lions W 28–10 2–0 City Stadium 32,150 Recap 3 October 11 San Francisco 49ers W 21–20 3–0 City Stadium 32,150 Recap 4 October 18 Los Angeles Rams L 6–45 3–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 36,194 Recap 5 October 25 at Baltimore Colts L 21–38 3–2 Memorial Stadium 57,557 Recap 6 November 1 at New York Giants L 3–20 3–3 Yankee Stadium 68,837 Recap 7 November 8 at Chicago Bears L 17–28 3–4 Wrigley Field 46,205 Recap 8 November 15 Baltimore Colts L 24–28 3–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 25,521 Recap 9 November 22 Washington Redskins W 21–0 4–5 City Stadium 31,853 Recap 10 November 26 at Detroit Lions W 24–17 5–5 Briggs Stadium 49,221 Recap 11 December 6 at Los Angeles Rams W 38–20 6–5 L.A. Memorial Coliseum 61,044 Recap 12 December 13 at San Francisco 49ers W 36–14 7–5 Kezar Stadium 55,997 Recap Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text. Thanksgiving: Nov. 26. Game summaries Regular season Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears collapsed September 27 Bears 0 3 0 3 Packers 0 0 0 9 City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin Pro-Football-Reference.com Second Quarter CHI – John Aveni 46-yard field goal – Bears 3–0 Fourth Quarter CHI – John Aveni 42-yard field goal – Bears 6–0 GB – Jim Taylor 5-yard run (Paul Hornung kick) – Packers 7–6 GB – Safety, Brown tackled by Hanner in end zone – Packers 9–6 Standings Roster 1959 Green Bay Packers final roster Quarterbacks 20 Joe Francis 17 Lamar McHan 15 Bart Starr Running backs 22 Bill Butler 33 Lew Carpenter  5 Paul Hornung K 42 Don McIlhenny 31 Jim Taylor Receivers 86 Boyd Dowler 84 Gary Knafelc 88 Ron Kramer 85 Max McGee P 81 A. D. Williams Offensive linemen 68 John Dittrich G 75 Forrest Gregg T 64 Jerry Kramer G 78 Norm Masters T 51 Jim Ringo C 76 Bob Skoronski T 63 Fuzzy Thurston G Defensive linemen 73 Ken Beck DT 87 Nate Borden DE 79 Dave Hanner DT 74 Henry Jordan DT 83 Bill Quinlan DE 82 Jim Temp DE Linebackers 65 Tom Bettis MLB 58 Dan Currie OLB 71 Bill Forester OLB 66 Ray Nitschke OLB Defensive backs 44 Bobby Dillon S 41 Bobby Freeman CB 46 Hank Gremminger CB 27 John Symank S 45 Emlen Tunnell S 47 Jesse Whittenton CB Reserve list -- Andy Cvercko G (IR) 7px 80 Steve Meilinger WR (IR) 7px Rookies in italics Awards, records, and honors Vince Lombardi, Coach of the Year David Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999; p. 228. References 35em Green Bay Packers Category:Green Bay Packers seasons