Let me start by saying that this might be the hardest Xs and Os article that I’ve ever had to write.

On Sunday, May the 26th, the great Bart Starr passed away.

Bart Starr is and will forever be an icon around Green Bay. He was the first “superstar” player that the Packers had ever seen. I say “superstar”, but that was actually far from how he thought of himself. Starr was a humble man. He never wanted to bring any attention on to himself. It was all about the team and winning games.

Starr was a great leader, quarterback and role model. When I go back and watch those old games from the 1960s, I can’t help but think how far Starr was ahead of his time. He did the little things correctly, which makes sense after knowing more about his personality. The fundamentals were drilled into him by his head coach, the great Vince Lombardi. When I watch his dropbacks, decision making, throws, and even playcalling, I am amazed. Starr was the complete package. It is interesting to note that quarterbacks of his day did in fact call plays, which reveals to me his high football IQ.

There are too many big games to name that Starr played in. A couple of my favorites are:

  • 1960 NFL Championship game vs. Philadelphia (the Packers lost, but the game itself was exciting)
  • The Ice Bowl
  • Super Bowl I
  • Super Bowl II
  • 1965 NFL Championship game vs. Cleveland

Starr played a pivotal role in each of those games. I, of course, never got to witness any of these games live, but as I sit there watching them over and over again, I get a sense as if I’m living in the 1960s, watching Starr command the offense down the field in a championship game. Every game that I watch of his feels like it is actually live. I anticipate every play call and twist and turn that happens throughout the game.

Shortly after hearing the news of Starr’s passing, I started going through some old games and collected a few clips to show what kind of player Starr was. I posted these on Twitter in hopes to show Packer fans how truly great he was. Check out these clips of the great Bart Starr as we remember a player who meant so much to the Green Bay Packers:

While Bart may be gone, his legacy will live on forever in Green Bay. The things that made him great; his character, integrity, toughness, and class, are all things that can make not only great football players but also great members of society.

Follow me on Twitter: @PTTF_Ben