1972 Green Bay Packers season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Green Bay Packers 1972 10–4 1st NFC Central Dan Devine Lambeau FieldMilwaukee County Stadium Lost Divisional Playoffs(at Redskins) 3–16 Packers seasons The 1972 Green Bay Packers season was their 54th season overall and their 52nd season in the National Football League. This for first time since 1955 Bart Starr was not on the opening day roster. The team finished with a 10–4 record under second-year head coach Dan Devine, earning them the NFC Central division title. The Packers returned to the playoffs after a four-year drought (and qualified for the first time since Vince Lombardi departed as head coach); their most recent division title was in 1967, completing that postseason with a decisive win in Super Bowl II in January 1968. In 1972, Green Bay entered the penultimate regular season game at Minnesota on December 10 with an 8–4 record. The Vikings (7–5) had won the season's earlier game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay by breaking a fourth quarter tie with two interceptions for touchdowns.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mn9QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7310%2C4744620 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Vikings pick Packer pockets October 30, 1972 1, part2 This time, the Packers overcame a 7–0 halftime deficit at Metropolitan Stadium with 23 unanswered points to clinch the division title.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8m5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6430%2C4220331 Milwaukee Sentinel Packers win division title December 11, 1972 1, part 1 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8m5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7271%2C4358010 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Vikings fall; the Pack is back! December 11, 1972 1, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d70RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oewDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7196%2C4890999 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Green Bay smothers Viks for 'Black-Blue' NFL title December 11, 1972 12 Running back John Brockington became the first in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8aFYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kPgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4515%2C2904069 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Playoffs shaping in pro grid play December 11, 1972 17 and did it again the following season. Placekicker Chester Marcol established an NFL rookie record for field goals in a season (since broken).NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 409 It was the fifteenth and final season of hall of fame linebacker Ray Nitschke. The Packers' next playoff appearance would come in 1982, however their last playoff appearance in a full season came in 1993, and their next division title came 23 years later, in 1995. Offseason In February 1972, running back (and punter) Donny Anderson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for MacArthur Lane.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aSMjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5491%2C4185741 Milwaukee Journal Johnson Chuck Shuffled off to St. Louis, Anderson scores as a Card November 7, 1973 14-part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BnBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mhAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4977%2C2217213 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Donny tells of rift with Devine February 23, 1972 1-part 2 Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr retired as a player in July;https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1QcqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pigEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5674%2C8181 Milwaukee Journal Starr, 38, quits as Packer player July 21, 1972 1, part 1 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=06xVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6985%2C5358193 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Injuries finally end Bart Starr's career July 22, 1972 4B he was the quarterbacks coach and play caller in 1972. (He then pursued business interests and was a color analyst for CBS, then returned to the Packers as their head coach in the 1975 season.)https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MnhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6878%2C1682942 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Hofmann Dave Starr to be named today December 24, 1974 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iQQqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ECkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6916%2C1424627 Milwaukee Journal Kupper Mike Starr, Packers, make it official December 24, 1974 1, part 1 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M3hQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4778%2C1899352 Milwaukee Sentinel Hofmann Dale Starr pledges fresh start December 25, 1974 1, part 2 NFL draft 1972 NFL draft 1972 Green Bay Packers 1 7 Willie Buchanon Cornerback San Diego State yes yes 1 11 Jerry Tagge Quarterback Nebraska From San Diego yes 2 34 Chester Marcol Kicker Hillsdale yes yes 4 86 Eric Patton Linebacker Notre Dame no 6 138 Nathaniel Ross Cornerback Bethune-Cookman no 6 147 Bob Hudson Running back Northeastern State yes 7 163 Bill Bushong Defensive tackle Kentucky no 8 190 Leland Glass Wide receiver Oregon yes 10 242 Keith Wortman Guard Nebraska yes 11 266 David Bailey Wide receiver Alabama no 12 294 Mike Rich Running Back Florida no 13 319 Jesse Lakes Running Back Central Michigan no 14 346 Larry Hefner Linebacker Clemson yes 15 371 Rick Thone Wide receiver Arkansas Tech no 16 398 Charles Burrell Defensive Tackle Arkansas AM&N no yes no Undrafted free agents + 1972 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeBob KrollSafetyNorthern MichiganBill JohanningmeierDefensive endColorado State Roster 1972 Green Bay Packers roster Quarterbacks 16 Scott Hunter 17 Jerry Tagge Running backs 42 John Brockington 23 Bob Hudson 40 David Kopay 36 MacArthur Lane 31 Perry Williams Wide receivers 84 Carroll Dale 47 Dave Davis 41 Paul Gibson 46 Leland Glass 22 Jon Staggers Tight ends 88 Len Garrett 86 Pete Lammons Offensive linemen 57 Ken Bowman C 77 Bill Hayhoe T 72 Dick Himes T 64 Kevin Hunt T 62 Bill Lueck G 71 Francis Peay T 67 Malcolm Snider T 58 Cal Withrow C 65 Keith Wortman G Defensive linemen 78 Bob Brown DT 76 Mike McCoy DT 75 Dave Pureifory DE 87 Alden Roche DE 73 Vernon Vanoy DT 83 Clarence Williams DE Linebackers 53 Fred Carr OLB 50 Jim Carter OLB 56 Tommy Joe Crutcher OLB 51 Larry Hefner OLB 66 Ray Nitschke MLB 89 Dave Robinson OLB Defensive backs 28 Willie Buchanon CB 48 Ken Ellis CB 21 Charlie Hall CB/S 39 Jim Hill FS 44 Bob Kroll FS 29 Al Matthews SS 37 Ike Thomas CB Special teams 13 Chester Marcol K 20 Ron Widby PReserve lists 68 Gale Gillingham DT (IR) 10px 30 Larry Krause RB (IR) 10px 81 Rich McGeorge TE (IR) 10px 10 Frank Patrick QB (IR) 10px Practice squad 11 Charlie Napper QB 11 Charlie Pittman RB 26 Ward Walsh RB Regular season Schedule In week 3, the Packers defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys in Milwaukee, improving their all-time record to 7–1 over Dallas; the sole loss was in 1970. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 17 at Cleveland Browns W 26–10 1–0 Cleveland Stadium 75,771 2 September 24 Oakland Raiders L 14–20 1–1 Lambeau Field 56,263 3 October 1 Dallas Cowboys W 16–13 2–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 47,103 4 October 8 Chicago Bears W 20–17 3–1 Lambeau Field 56,263 5 October 16, 1972 at Detroit Lions W 24–23 4–1 Tiger Stadium 54,418 6 October 22 Atlanta Falcons L 9–10 4–2 Milwaukee County Stadium 47,967 7 October 29 Minnesota Vikings L 13–27 4–3 Lambeau Field 56,263 8 November 5 San Francisco 49ers W 34–24 5–3 Milwaukee County Stadium 47,897 9 November 12 at Chicago Bears W 23–17 6–3 Soldier Field 55,701 10 November 19 at Houston Oilers W 23–10 7–3 Astrodome 41,752 11 November 26 at Washington Redskins L 16–21 7–4 RFK Stadium 53,039 12 December 3 Detroit Lions W 33–7 8–4 Lambeau Field 56,263 13 December 10 at Minnesota Vikings W 23–7 9–4 Metropolitan Stadium 49,784 14 December 17 at New Orleans Saints W 30–20 10–4 Tulane Stadium 65,881 Monday (October 16) Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Playoffs Green Bay met the NFC East champion Washington Redskins (11–3) in the divisional playoffs on Christmas Eve at RFK Stadium. The Packers practiced the week before at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=piEWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5185%2C1936073 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Packers sharpen key weapons December 22, 1972 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pyEWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7323%2C2289979 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Pressure mounts, Packers keep cool December 23, 1972 1, part 2 The two teams had played four weeks earlier at the same venue; the Redskins won by five points on November 26,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kHdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7428%2C3700025 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Packers get skinned November 27, 1972 1, part 2 and were favored by in the playoff game by 4½ points. The results were similar, as Green Bay scored first but lost again in D.C., this time by thirteen points, 16–3.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GXBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4482%2C2668611 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Redskins burst Packer bubble December 25, 1972 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N6lVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4568%2C6813470 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press 'Skins old men advance to finals December 25, 1972 1F Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Divisional December 24 at Washington Redskins L 3–16 0–1 RFK Stadium 53,140 Standings Awards, records, and honors Chester Marcol, NFL rookie record (since broken), most Field Goals in one year by a rookie, (32) Willie Buchanon – AP Defensive Rookie of the Year References 30em Sources Sportsencyclopedia.com https://web.archive.org/web/20071216175609/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/gb/packers.html December 16, 2007 Category:Green Bay Packers seasons Category:NFC Central championship seasons Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers