Green Bay Packers NFL Team History

The Green Bay Packers are synonymous with the National Football League (NFL,) being a team with an exceptionally long and interesting history. If looking back, it can be seen that the Packers have not only had an exceptional career in football, but also completely revolutionized the sport in the process. Let’s take a closer look, learn more about the team, and get a bit of NFL trivia along the way.

The official birth of the Packers was in 1919, founded by Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Though, importantly, the team didn’t actually join the American Professional Football Association, which existed prior to the NFL, until 1921. The first years were simply spent playing against a handful of local teams, including in Michigan and Wisconsin. Lambeau acted as the coach.

Things took a turn in 1923, when the organization transformed into a publicly owned entity. This is when the name of the Green Bay Football Corporation was born.

Winning Streaks And A Slump

As 1929 rolled around, a series of incredible winning streaks and successes unfolded. In the period between 1929 and 1944 an incredible 6 championships were won. 3 of these even happened consecutively, from 1929 to 1931, for those keen on NFL trivia. But, perhaps the most impressive feat of all is that Lambeau, with the help of Don Hutson, literally revolutionised the entire game. The secret was the forward pass, which turned out to be a sort of secret weapon in the world of football.

But, after the incredible success seen in the 30s and 40s, the Packers would then fall on hard times. Lambeau retired in 1949, and what followed was a long, crushing period of defeat. For a stunning 11 seasons the team would suffer defeat after defeat, not managing to hold a winning record for the entire duration. But another revolution was yet waiting in the wings.

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Welcoming Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi was hired as the new coach in 1960, and what followed is perhaps the most lauded era in the entire history of the NFL. 5 championships were won in just 7 years, and 13 of the players under the new coach would be inducted into the hall of fame. 3 of the 5 championship wins, 1965 to 1967, were consecutive.

This winning streak coincides with the passing of Lambeau in 1965. The stadium built in 57 was renamed to honor the founding coach in 1967. The team has had its ups and downs since that original era of glory, though still holds the record for the most championship wins in the history of the sport.