Those We Lost in 2025

As we close out 2025, we pay tribute to the Packers we lost this year.

Bob Long Passes Away at 83

Bob Long, a member of the Green Bay Packers’ record-tying, three-time NFL champions during the Vince Lombardi era, died Sunday. He was 83. Our condolences to his family, friends, and teammates. More on the Packers’ site HERE.

Al Matthews Passes Away

Former Packer DB Al Matthews has passed away at the age of 77. Check out the post on the team’s site HERE.

Old-Time Game Program Covers

In an effort to post more in the offseason, today we have a selection of game program covers from the past. All are from Green Bay Packers games, 'cept one. Take note of the one where they used to have preseason double-header games in the same stadium. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

John Gordon — Designer of Packers' '“G” Logo, dies at 83

John Gordon, left, designed the iconic Green Bay Packers "G" logo that has become one of the most well-known logos in the NFL. In this 1962 photograph, Packers equipment manager Gerald "Dad" Braisher looks at a portrait of himself painted by Gordon, who was Braisher’s assistant as well as a St. Norbert College art student at the time the football shaped “G” was designed and selected to be the Packers logo. The “G” has been on the Packers football helmets since 1961. Green Bay Press-Gazette Photo

John Gordon, designer of Packers’ iconic “G” logo, dies
Associated Press

DE PERE, Wis. — John Gordon, an artist who as a young art student helped design the Green Bay Packers' distinctive “G” team logo, has died at age 83.

Gordon died Saturday, said Matt Cotter, the owner of Cotter Funeral & Cremation Care in De Pere, Wisconsin. The funeral home posted an obituary which says Gordon died “surrounded by his family after living with Alzheimer's disease.”

Gordon was an art student at St. Norbert College in 1961 and was working as an assistant for Packers equipment manager Gerald “Dad” Braisher when he was offered the chance to design the team's logo under then-coach Vince Lombardi, WLUK-TV reported.

“Dad came down from his meeting with (Vince) Lombardi with a piece of paper in his hand, and he said that Lombardi wants a logo… and it's going to be a ‘G’ in a football shape,” Gordon said in a video produced 10 years ago by St. Norbert College.

Within 24 hours, Gordon's sketched design was approved and the Packers' original logo was born.

“John lent his talent to the Packer organization and helped design the ‘Packer G,’” Gordon's obituary states.

Gordon's name and his sketch are featured in a display at the Packers Hall of Fame museum at Lambeau Field, said Packers curator Brent Hensel.

The original “G” as designed by Gordon was shaped like a football, but it has been modified over the years to the current oval “G.”

Despite the popular belief that the “G” stands for greatness, it in fact stands for Green Bay, Packers team historian Cliff Christl wrote in a 2015 article on the Packers’ website.

Gordon was a lifelong artist who taught art at Parkview Middle School in Ashwaubenon before becoming an adjunct professor of art at his alma mater, St. Norbert College.

His survivors include his wife, Dianne, his ex-wife, Joan Gordon, and their six children, three grandchildren, a brother and sister and three stepchildren.

Gordon’s funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at Faith Lutheran Church in Green Bay.

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OBITUARY

Cotter Funeral & Cremation Care

John Michael Gordon

April 7, 1940  —  September 30, 2023

John Michael Gordon (age 83) passed away peacefully on September 30, 2023, surrounded by his family after living with Alzheimer’s disease. He was born in Marshfield, WI to Jack and Jean Gordon and grew up in Green Bay, WI. John was a proud graduate of Premontre High School, St. Norbert College, and UW Madison. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

John was an extremely talented artist and dedicated his life to teaching and mastering his craft. John taught art to students at Parkview Middle School, taught private art classes to children and adults, and developed a home study art program for children all over the country through Gordon School of Art. After he retired from Ashwaubenon Public Schools, he became an adjunct professor of art at St. Norbert College. An impressionist, John completed thousands of paintings and was masterful at landscapes, portraits, self-portraits, and still lifes.

John had many beloved students and was happiest when he could bear witness to the profound, often therapeutic and spiritual effect art had on his pupils.

John was a lover of ideas, a philosopher, a seeker, a fisherman, an outdoorsman, a musician, a writer, and a book collector. John delighted his children with cross-country camping trips, summers at a family cottage, practical jokes, and his playfully inventive craftsmanship.

He loved sports, played basketball, baseball and softball, and loved swimming with his wife Dianne at the YMCA. He and Dianne shared many wonderful years in Kewaunee on their hobby farm where they raised chickens and pigs.

John was very proud of his history with the Green Bay Packers and would often reminisce about working as an assistant equipment manager under Dad Braiser and Vince Lombardi. John lent his talent to the Packer organization and helped design the “Packer G.” John was recognized for this contribution and is honored in the Packer Hall of Fame.

John had a smart, mischievous sense of humor that he passed on to his children and grandchildren. All his life, John was delighted and fascinated by other people. In his later years, he would strike up conversations and share his warmth, enthusiasm and humor wherever he went.

John is survived by his loving wife Dianne and their beloved dogs Audie and Annie; his former wife Joan Gordon and their six children Stephanie (Rick) Johnson, Benjamin, Molly, Jeremy (Dana Schowalter), Joshua, and Andrew (Sofia) Gordon; his three grandchildren, Jackson Gordon, Harvey Schowalter-Gordon, and Adelaide Gordon; his brother Joel (Meredith) Gordon, his sister Julie Gordon, and many nieces and nephews; He is also survived by his stepchildren Emily (Benji) Scherschligt, Michael (Carey Jacobsen) Marlett, and Andrew (Nicole) Marlett, and his step-grandchildren Elise and Aidan Marlett, Stella, Jacob, and May Scherschligt, and Jack, Megan, Sophie, and Natalie Marlett.

John was preceded in death by his cousin Jimmy McCann, his parents Jack and Jean Gordon, and his step-grandchild Lucy Marlett.

He will be dearly missed, and his memory will be cherished by the many people he touched throughout his life.

A heartfelt thank you to the compassionate staff of Unity Hospice who cared for and supported John and his family during his final days.

Please join us at Faith Lutheran Church 2335 S Webster Ave, Green Bay, WI 54301 on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 for a visitation between 9:00am to 10:45am, followed by Services at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association or Unity Hospice of Brown County.

1939 Championship in Milwaukee

If you love Packers history, and regularly read the Thursday columns of Packers’ Historian Cliff Christl, you’ll know that he has two recent posts on the team’s years playing in Milwaukee. The most recent column informs us about the 1939 NFL championship game (among other things). In looking through our copy of The Fair’s 150th anniversary publication (seen below), we came across this photo done in the great annotated style of the time. While the image claims that “This One Meant Title!,” Green Bay clobbered the New York Giants that day 27-0 for their fifth championship under Head Coach Curly Lambeau.

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#GreenBayPackers #GreenBay #Packers #GoPackGo #LambeauField #NFL

Babe Parilli Wins a Championship Ring

Did you know that QB Babe Parilli, who played with the Packers from 1952-53 and 1957-58, subbed for an injured Joe Namath (hand) for one series in Super Bowl III? He won a ring in his final game as a player in the NFL.

John Brockington Dies at 74

John Brockington in 1972 during the final game of the N.F.L. season in New Orleans. A Brooklyn native, he earned All-Pro honors and was named N.F.L. offensive rookie of the year in his first season with the Packers. Credit: Ross Lewis/Getty Images

John Brockington, former running back in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs, passed away at the age of 74. After graduating from Ohio State University, he was selected early in the draft and went on to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 1971.

In the 1971 NFL Draft, Brockington was the ninth player selected overall. He was selected after Jim Plunkett, Dan Pastorini, Archie Manning, and John Riggins.

Brockington was selected before Jack Tatum, Jack Youngblood, Jack Ham, and Dan Dierdorf. Brockington set a record by being the first player in the history of the National Football League to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. In his first season with the Green Bay Packers in 1971, Brockington was voted NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He played in all 14 games for the Packers and rushed for 1,105 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

Brockington finished his career with 5,024 running yards, which was good for second place all-time in Packers franchise history. As of the month of December 2022, Brockington is now ranked fourth all-time in the Packers’ rushing yardage record. In 1971, Brockington was selected for the 1st Team All-Pro, in 1973 he was selected for both the 1st Team and the 2nd Team, and in 1972 he was named to the All-NFC team. Moreover, Brockington was named for the Pro Bowl three times in a row (1971-1973).

His first running partner in the Green Bay backfield was sixth-year halfback Donny Anderson, another Packer first round draft choice. Anderson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for running back MacArthur Lane in the offseason following the season in which he was drafted by the Packers. Between the years 1972 and 1974, Brockington and Lane worked together as a dynamic rushing tandem in the backfield for the Packers, helping to carry the team’s offense. In 1972, the Packers earned their first trip to the playoffs in the previous five years by winning the NFC Central division.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Scott Hunter (16) hands off to Brockington (42) during a game in 1971. Credit: George Gellatly/Getty Images

Brockington exemplified the power running back with a style of running that was focused on his considerable strength. A power running back is a player who prefers to break tackles and run over defenders rather than run away from them. Brockington’s running style was based on his strong strength. He was a pioneer in the sport of running backs, having been one of the first to combine speed with power.

After surpassing 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first three seasons, Brockington ran for 883 yards in 1974 (including a career-high 43 receptions for 314 yards), but he dropped to only 434 yards rushing on 3.0 YPC in 1975 under new head coach Bart Starr. Brockington’s success was fleeting. This was the result of normal wear and tear, the trading of Lane in July 1975, and changes in the playbook that did not take advantage of Brockington’s ability. All of these factors contributed to Brockington’s decline. In 1976, he ran for 406 yards and averaged 3.5 yards per carry.

Brockington also spent part of the 1977 season with the Kansas City Chiefs and finished his career with 5,185 yards rushing. He had 30 touchdown runs and four touchdown catches.