Today’s installment of “Packerville” focuses on the 1990 Green Bay Packers Yearbook, which features quarterback Don Majkowski about to be throttled after getting rid of the ball in a preseason game with the New York Jets on August 12, 1989 in Milwaukee. The Packers won that game 28-27. Because they were coming off a 4-12 season in 1988, there were only 22,931 “fans” in the seats. Your Packerville editor was one of them. Compared to the 55,000+ fans who would attend games in Milwaukee’s County Stadium a few years later when they were a “winning” team, this was an embarrassing time.
But, after the 1989 10-6 season that was described in detail in our last installment, hopes were high in 1990 that the team would make the playoffs, right? Wrong. The man on the cover held out for more money in 1990, and then sustained an ankle injury in the tenth game at Arizona. Because of Majkowski’s holdout, backup quarterback Anthony Dilweg (grandson of early days’ Packer legend Lavvie Dilweg [1927-1934]) started the first two regular season games. Majkowski then took back the reigns in week three. Dilweg started the next four of five games after Majkowski’s injury, with third-stringer Blair Kiel starting the other game — a week 15 game with the Lions in Green Bay.
Majkowski led the team in passing in 1990, racking up 1,925 yards on 264 completions, with 10 TD’s and 12 INT’s. Dilweg’s numbers were 1,267 yards on 192 completions, with 8 TD’s and 7 INT’s. Michael Haddix led the rushing effort with 311 — that’s not a typo — yards on 98 carries and no TD’s. Once again, Sterling Sharpe led the receivers with 67 catches for 1,105 yards and 6 TD’s.
Some of the stories in the 1990 Yearbook were: “The Next Step”... “The System Succeeds”... “Cardiac Pack: Four 1-Point Wins Set NFL Record”... “Lindy: A Coach — and a Man— For All Seasons”... “(Tom) Braatz and His Scouts Make An Impact”... “Plan B (Free Agency) is a Boon”... “It Was a ‘Magik’ Trip”... “Pack Gains Speed: 1990 Draft”... “The Right Foot” (Chris Jacke)... “They Know Him Now” (Tim Harris)... “Something New at Lambeau” (New private boxes)... “The 1990 Green Bay Packers”... “(Scott) Stephen Ready to Step In”... “(John) Anderson Joins Nitschke”... “Jeff Query Has Star Quality”... “Tailgating at Tampa”... “(Rich) Moran Matures”... “Packers Back in Pro Bowl” (Tim Harris, Sterling Sharpe, Don Majkowski, and Brent Fullwood)... “The All-New Packer Hall (of Fame)”... “Old Grads Welcome New Success” (Lombardi-era players comment on 1989 season)... “Phlashback to Philly (1960 NFL Championship game)... “(Curly) Lambeau Leaves”... “The ’50 Stock Drive”... “The 1989 Season in Review”... “(Joe) Montana Returns to Wisconsin”...
