The Packers’ fifth appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated was during the 1966 preseason, when they were gearing up to defend their “NFL Champions” title won the previous January over Cleveland. Pictured on the cover are Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor, Green Bay’s powerful backfield posing on the Packers’ practice field along Oneida Street, with the Brown County Arena in the background.
That season, the Packers would again win the Western Conference title with a record of 12-2-0, and go on to meet Dallas in the first of two consecutive NFL Championship games to be played against the Cowboys — this year in Texas. After defeating Dallas 34-27, the Packers’ would go on to represent the NFL in the first “Super Bowl” in Los Angeles, beating Kansas City 35-10.
Oddly enough, the two players pictured on this cover were in their last season with the Packers. Hornung would sustain a neck injury that would curtail his playing time and eventually force his retirement, while Taylor played out his contract option (much to Lombardi’s dismay) and would sign with the expansion New Orleans Saints the following year.
