1965 Training Camp Preview

For the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Green Bay Packers championship season, we are presenting the “Touchdown Edition” season preview issue from the Green Bay Press-Gazette. This probably has a limited-interest audience, but it’s here for those folks, and for football posterity. Enjoy a look back at the players of the Lombardi Era, and all of the vintage local ads. 

Brett Favre: Undeniable

 

Here’s something that you may not have seen when it was released back in January — an episode of “Undeniable” with Brett Favre as Joe Buck’s* guest. “Favre opens up about his storied journey from 7th stringer, to starter, to an NFL titan. In this heart-to-heart, the legendary quarterback shares the grit, determination, and raw talent that propelled him to the pinnacle of pro football. The inspiring moments, the tough lessons, and the unwavering passion that earned Favre his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. From his first football uniform at age one to the consecutive starts that defined his ironman legacy, discover how Favre's love for the game and his relentless pursuit of excellence that made him a true sports icon.”

*For all of those Green Bay fans who think Joe Buck “hates the Packers,” a poll found that the fans of every other team think he hates their team.

Ken Bowman Passes Away at 81

We learned last evening that former Packers center Ken Bowman died on December 27, 2023.

From ESPN: “Bowman, who played center for the Green Bay Packers from 1964 to 1973 and was part of three consecutive championship teams, has died. He was 81.

The Packers announced Tuesday that Bowman died last Wednesday in Oro Valley, Arizona. The team did not disclose a cause of death, but the Packers' statement cited Bowman's wife, Roseann, saying he died of natural causes.

Bowman was part of the Packers' NFL title-winning team in 1965, the year before the first Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl-winning teams of the next two seasons.

He is perhaps best known for snapping the ball to Bart Starr and delivering a block on the Hall of Fame quarterback's game-winning, 1-yard touchdown sneak in the "Ice Bowl," the Packers' 21-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in a 1967 NFL championship game that had a kickoff temperature of minus-13 degrees Fahrenheit.

That sent the Packers to the Super Bowl, where they beat the Oakland Raiders. A year earlier, Bowman stepped in for an injured Bill Curry at center during the first Super Bowl, helping the Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Packers selected Bowman out of Wisconsin in the eighth round of the 1964 draft. He played in 123 games and made 107 starts, all with Green Bay.

Bowman was the Packers' player representative for part of his career. He also was an NFL Players Association vice president.”

The Packers’ official team historian Cliff Christl posted this story.

Our condolences to his family, friends, and teammates.