Today we focus on one of the great defensive players in Green Bay football history. Herb Adderley was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 1961 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick. He began his professional career as a halfback, but was later switched to defense because the Packers already had good runners in Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor. Adderley was first moved to cornerback to replace an injured teammate. In 1962, the move became permanent and Adderley went on to become an all-NFL selection five times in the 1960s. Packers coach Vince Lombardi remarked, "I was too stubborn to switch him to defense until I had to. Now when I think of what Adderley means to our defense, it scares me to think of how I almost mishandled him."
Adderley seemed to be a natural at his new position, recording 39 interceptions in his nine seasons with the Packers. He holds the Green Bay records for interceptions returned for touchdowns in a career (seven, record tied with Darren Sharper), and interceptions returned for touchdowns in one season (three, in 1965).
Adderley started for the Packers from 1961–69, then played three seasons (1970–72) with the Dallas Cowboys. While with the Packers, he won rings in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II. Adderley was a major factor in the Packers' Super Bowl II win over the Oakland Raiders, intercepting a pass by Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica in the fourth quarter and returning it 60 yards for a touchdown to put the game away. This was the first Super Bowl touchdown on an intercepted pass. After joining the Cowboys, Adderley became a vital cog in Dallas' "Doomsday Defense," assisting the Cowboys to a Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl V and a championship win in Super Bowl VI.
Adderley was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in the summer of 1973 but instead of reporting to the team, he retired on August 7. Along with two former Packer teammates — Fuzzy Thurston and Forrest Gregg — Adderley is one of only three players in pro football history to play on six World Championship teams. However, in a revised edition of Instant Replay, a memoir by former Packer teammate Jerry Kramer, Adderley is quoted as saying, "I'm the only man with a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl ring who doesn't wear it. I'm a Green Bay Packer."
In his 12 NFL seasons, Adderley recorded 48 interceptions, which he returned for 1,046 yards and seven touchdowns, an average of 21.8 yards per return. He also recovered 14 fumbles (returning them for 65 yards) and returned 120 kickoffs for 3,080 yards and two scores.
