Packers’ tight end Ron Kramer catches a touchdown pass in the 1961 championship game. This added to the final score of 37-0 in their rout of the New York Giants. Kramer scored two touchdown’s on the day — 14- and 13-yarders.Twice an All-American end at the University of Michigan, in 1955 and 1956, Kramer also starred as a center on the basketball team and as a high jumper and weight thrower on the track team. He captained the basketball team as a senior and set a school scoring record of 1,124 points, which stood until 1961.
During his three years as a starter in football, he caught 53 passes for 880 yards and 9 touchdowns, kicked 43 extra points and 2 field goals, punted 31 times for a 40.6-yard average, and excelled on defense.
The 6-foot-3 Kramer weighed 220 pounds as a college player but beefed up to 240 pounds as a professional tight end with the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 1957. He served in the Air Force in 1958 and returned to the Packers the following year. A strong blocker, Kramer was also a sure-handed receiver who was often used on short routes to pick up first down yardage.
Kramer played for two NFL champions in Green Bay, in 1961 and 1962. He starred in the Packers' 37-0 victory over the New York Giants in the 1961 title game, catching 4 passes for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was named an All-Pro by the Associated Press in 1962.
The Packers traded Kramer to the Detroit Lions in 1965 and he spent three seasons there before retiring. In his 10 NFL seasons, he caught 229 passes for 3,272 yards and 16 touchdowns.
