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Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Offseason  



1.1  NFL draft  







2 Roster  





3 Preseason  





4 Regular season  



4.1  Schedule  





4.2  Standings  





4.3  Game summaries  



4.3.1  Week 1 vs. Baltimore Colts  





4.3.2  Week 2: at Cleveland Browns  





4.3.3  Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams  





4.3.4  Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions  





4.3.5  Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers  





4.3.6  Week 6: at Chicago Bears  





4.3.7  Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons  





4.3.8  Week 8: at Detroit Lions  





4.3.9  Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings  





4.3.10  Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears  





4.3.11  Week 12: at Minnesota Vikings  





4.3.12  Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers  





4.3.13  Week 14: at Baltimore Colts  





4.3.14  Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams  









5 Postseason  



5.1  NFL Championship Game  





5.2  Super Bowl I  







6 Statistics  



6.1  Team leaders  





6.2  League rankings  





6.3  Awards and records  







7 References  





8 External links  














1966 Green Bay Packers season






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1966 Green Bay Packers season
General managerVince Lombardi
Head coachVince Lombardi
Home fieldLambeau Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
Local radioWTMJ
Results
Record12–2
Division place1st NFL Western
Playoff finishWon NFL Championship
(atCowboys) 34–27
Won Super Bowl I
(vs. Chiefs) 35–10
Pro BowlersHerb Adderley, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Henry Jordan, Dave Robinson, Bob Skoronski, Bart Starr, Willie Wood
AP All-ProsHerb Adderley, Lee Roy Caffey, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Jerry Kramer, Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr, Willie Wood
  • Packers seasons
  • 1967 →
  • The 1966 Green Bay Packers season was their 48th season overall and their 46th in the National Football League (NFL). The defending NFL champions had a league-best regular season record of 12–2, led by eighth-year head coach Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr, in his eleventh NFL season.

    The Packers and the Chiefs in the first AFL–NFL Championship Game (Super Bowl I)

    The Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL championship game, the Packers' second consecutive NFL title, fourth under Lombardi, and tenth for the franchise. Two weeks later, the Packers recorded a 35–10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefsinthe inaugural AFL-NFL Championship Game, retroactively known as Super Bowl I.

    Quarterback Starr was named the league's most valuable player (MVP) in 1966, leading the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt, and passer rating, and ending the season with a 4.7-to-1 touchdown-interception ratio. This assisted the team's struggling rushing game, which averaged 3.5 yards-per-attempt (the worst in the league that season). [1] The 1966 Packers also had the best passer rating differential (offensive passer rating minus opponents passer rating), +56.0, in the Super Bowl Era.[2] [citation needed]

    In 2007, the 1966 Packers were ranked as the sixth greatest Super Bowl champions on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, with team commentary from Bill Curry, Willie Davis, and Bart Starr, and narrated by Donald Sutherland. More than a decade later, this team ranked #13 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[3][4]

    Offseason[edit]

    The Washington Redskins made overtures to Vince Lombardi about becoming their new head coach. Lombardi refused their offer and the Redskins had to settle for Otto Graham as their new head coach.[5] Lombardi replaced Graham in Washington in 1969.

    NFL draft[edit]

    In the 1966 NFL draft, held in late November 1965, the Packers selected running back Jim GrabowskiofIllinois with the ninth overall pick.[6] Common for pro football in the mid-1960s, the Packers found themselves in a bidding war for Grabowski. The expansion Miami Dolphins of the American Football League selected Grabowski with the first overall selection of the AFL Draft, held the same day.[7] Lombardi's plan was to groom Grabowski to take over for Jim Taylor at fullback. Despite being offered more money by the Dolphins, Grabowski said it was an honor to be drafted by the Packers.[8] Grabowski signed with the Packers and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated in August, with veteran backfield tandem Paul Hornung and Taylor on the main cover and rookies Grabowski and Donny Anderson on the foldout.[9][10] The signing of Grabowski upset Taylor, who felt that he was underpaid and made it publicly known that he would leave Green Bay once his contract expired. Taylor had been given an offer by the expansion Atlanta Falcons, but agreed to honor his contract before moving to another team and played out his option in 1966.[11][12][13][14]

    Fellow rookie running back Anderson of Texas Tech was the seventh overall selection of the 1965 draft as an underclassman, and he stayed in school for his senior season in 1965. Due to their large contracts, signed during the height of the pre-merger bidding war with the AFL, as well as their high visibility as the apparent replacements for Hornung and Taylor, Anderson and Grabowski were nicknamed the "Gold Dust Twins."[15]

    The 1966 draft (November 1965) was the last one held separately for the two leagues. Following the merger agreement of June 1966, a common draft was conducted in March 1967.

    Round Selection Overall Player Position College
    1 9 9 Jim Grabowski FB Illinois
    1 13 13 Gale Gillingham G Minnesota
    2 14 30 Tom Cichowski OT Maryland
    3 13 45 Fred Heron DE San Jose State
    3 14 46 Tony Jeter TE Nebraska
    4 14 62 John Roderick WR SMU
    7 13 108 Ray Miller DL Idaho
    8 14 124 Ken McLean WR Texas A&M
    9 13 138 Ron Rector RB Northwestern
    10 14 154 Sam Montgomery DL Southern
    11 13 168 Ralph Wenzel OL San Diego State
    12 14 184 Jim Mankins RB Florida State
    13 13 198 Ed King LB USC
    14 14 214 Ron Hanson WR North Dakota State
    15 13 228 Grady Bolton OL Mississippi State
    16 14 244 Bob Schultz DL Wisconsin–Stevens Point
    17 13 258 Dave Hathcock CB Memphis State
    18 14 274 Jim Jones DE Nebraska-Omaha
    19 13 288 Dave Moton WR USC
    20 14 304 Ed Maras WR South Dakota State

    Roster[edit]

    1966 Green Bay Packers final roster
    Quarterbacks

    Running backs

    Wide receivers

    Tight ends

    Offensive linemen

    Defensive linemen

    Linebackers

    Defensive backs

    Special teams

    Reserve lists

    Currently vacant
    Practice squad


    Rookies in italics
    , 0 practice squad

    Source:[16][17]

    Preseason[edit]

    Date Opponent Site Result Score'

    Regular season[edit]

    The defending champion Packers finished the regular season with a league best record of 12–2, returning them to the NFL championship game as Western Conference champions. Until 1975, NFL playoff sites were rotated, so the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys (10–3–1) hosted the title game in 1966 at the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1967.

    Schedule[edit]

    Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Attendance
    1 September 10 Baltimore Colts W, 24–3 1–0 Milwaukee County Stadium
    48,650
    2 September 18 atCleveland Browns W, 21–20 2–0 Cleveland Stadium
    83,943
    3 September 25 Los Angeles Rams W, 24–13 3–0 Lambeau Field
    50,861
    4 October 2 Detroit Lions W, 23–14 4–0 Lambeau Field
    50,861
    5 October 9 atSan Francisco 49ers L, 20–21 4–1 Kezar Stadium
    39,290
    6 October 16 atChicago Bears W, 17–0 5–1 Wrigley Field
    48,573
    7 October 23 Atlanta Falcons W, 56–3 6–1 Milwaukee County Stadium
    48,623
    8 October 30 at Detroit Lions W, 31–7 7–1 Tiger Stadium
    56,954
    9 November 6 Minnesota Vikings L, 17–20 7–2 Lambeau Field
    50,861
    10 November 13 Bye
    11 November 20 Chicago Bears W, 13–6 8–2 Lambeau Field
    50,861
    12 November 27 at Minnesota Vikings W, 28–16 9–2 Metropolitan Stadium
    47,426
    13 December 4 San Francisco 49ers W, 20–7 10–2 Milwaukee County Stadium
    48,725
    14 December 10 at Baltimore Colts W, 14–10 11–2 Memorial Stadium
    60,238
    15 December 18 at Los Angeles Rams W, 27–23 12–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
    72,416

    Standings[edit]

    NFL Western Conference
  • talk
  • edit
  • W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
    Green Bay Packers 12 2 0 .857 10–2 335 163 W5
    Baltimore Colts 9 5 0 .643 7–5 314 226 W1
    Los Angeles Rams 8 6 0 .571 6–6 289 212 L1
    San Francisco 49ers 6 6 2 .500 5–5–2 320 325 L1
    Chicago Bears 5 7 2 .417 4–6–2 234 272 W1
    Detroit Lions 4 9 1 .308 3–8–1 206 317 L3
    Minnesota Vikings 4 9 1 .308 4–7–1 292 304 L1

    Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

    Game summaries[edit]

    Week 1 vs. Baltimore Colts[edit]

    Week One: Baltimore Colts (0–0) at Green Bay Packers (0–0)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Colts 0 3 003
    Packers 0 14 10024

    atMilwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 2: at Cleveland Browns[edit]

    Week Two: Green Bay Packers (1–0) at Cleveland Browns (1–0)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 0 7 7721
    Browns 7 10 0320

    atCleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

    Game information

    Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams[edit]

    Week Three: Los Angeles Rams (2–0) at Green Bay Packers (2–0)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Rams 0 6 7013
    Packers 7 10 0724

    atLambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions[edit]

    Week Four: Detroit Lions (2–1) at Green Bay Packers (3–0)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Lions 0 7 0714
    Packers 10 7 3323

    atLambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers[edit]

    Week Five: Green Bay Packers (4–0) at San Francisco 49ers (0–2–1)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 3 0 10720
    49ers 0 7 7721

    atKezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

    Game information

    Week 6: at Chicago Bears[edit]

    Week Six: Green Bay Packers (4–1) at Chicago Bears (2–2)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 0 0 10717
    Bears 0 0 000

    atWrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

    Game information

    Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons[edit]

    Week Seven: Atlanta Falcons (0–6) at Green Bay Packers (5–1)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Falcons 0 0 303
    Packers 7 21 72156

    atMilwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 8: at Detroit Lions[edit]

    Week Eight: Green Bay Packers (6–1) at Detroit Lions (2–5)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 0 17 7731
    Lions 0 7 007

    atTiger Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

    Game information

    Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings[edit]

    Week Nine: Minnesota Vikings (2–4–1) at Green Bay Packers (7–1)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Vikings 0 10 01020
    Packers 7 3 7017

    atLambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears[edit]

    Week Eleven: Chicago Bears (3–4–2) at Green Bay Packers (7–2)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Bears 0 0 066
    Packers 0 7 0613

    atLambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 12: at Minnesota Vikings[edit]

    Week Twelve: Green Bay Packers (8–2) at Minnesota Vikings (3–6–1)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 7 14 0728
    Vikings 3 0 6716

    atMetropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

    Game information

    Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers[edit]

    Week Thirteen: San Francisco 49ers (5–4–2) at Green Bay Packers (9–2)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    49ers 0 0 077
    Packers 7 0 01320

    atMilwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Game information

    Week 14: at Baltimore Colts[edit]

    Week Fourteen: Green Bay Packers (10–2) at Baltimore Colts (8–4)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 7 0 0714
    Colts 0 10 0010

    atMemorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

    Game information

    Zeke Bratkowski relieved Bart Starr, who suffered a muscle spasm in the first half. Bratkowski directed an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a go-ahead touchdown run by Elijah Pitts. John Unitas then led the Colts to the Green Bay 15, but there lost a fumble which came to be known as the 'Million Dollar Fumble', to secure the Packers' win that clinched the Western Conference crown.[18]

    Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams[edit]

    Week Fifteen: Green Bay Packers (11–2) at Los Angeles Rams (8–5)

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 7 10 01027
    Rams 3 6 01423

    atLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

    Game information

    Postseason[edit]

    NFL Championship Game[edit]

    Green Bay Packers 34, Dallas Cowboys27

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Packers 14 7 7634
    Cowboys 14 3 3727

    atCotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

    Game information

    Green Bay took an early 14–0 lead on two first-quarter scores; a 17-yard touchdown pass from Bart StarrtoElijah Pitts and an 18-yard fumble return by Jim Grabowski on the ensuing kickoff. The Cowboys tied the score with two touchdowns towards the end of the quarter.

    Starr's third touchdown pass of the game gave the Packers a 34–20 lead with 5:20 left in the game, but the Cowboys responded with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Don Meredith to Frank Clarke. Dallas advanced to the Green Bay 22-yard line on their next drive, when a pass interference penalty gave the Cowboys a first down at the Packer 2-yard line. But Green Bay's Tom Brown intercepted a Meredith pass in the end zone with 28 seconds left to play to preserve the victory for the Packers.

    With the win, the Packers earned their 10th NFL championship. It was their second in a row and fourth in six seasons.

    Super Bowl I[edit]

    Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs10

    Period 1 2 34Total
    Chiefs 0 10 0010
    Packers 7 7 14735

    atLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

    Game information

    The first AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I, was played on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial ColiseuminLos Angeles, California. The Packers faced the Kansas City Chiefs from the AFL, who finished their regular season at 11–2–1.

    In the week prior to the game, the Packers practiced at UC Santa Barbara, and the Chiefs at Veterans FieldinLong Beach.[20]

    The Packers jumped out to an early 7–0 lead with Bart Starr's 37-yard touchdown pass to reserve receiver Max McGee, who had been put into the game just a few plays earlier to fill in for injured starter Boyd Dowler. Early in the second quarter, Kansas City marched 66 yards in 6 plays to tie the game on a 7-yard pass from quarterback Len DawsontoCurtis McClinton. But the Packers responded on their next drive, advancing 73 yards down the field and scoring on fullback Jim Taylor's 14-yard touchdown run with the team's famed "Power Sweep" play. The Chiefs then cut the lead with a minute left in the half, 14–10, on Mike Mercer's 31-yard field goal.

    Early in the second half Dawson was intercepted by defensive back Willie Wood. He returned the interception 50 yards to the Kansas City 5-yard line. On the next play Elijah Pitts rushed 5-yards for a touchdown, giving the Packers a 21–10 lead. Max McGee scored his second touchdown of the game with a 13-yard reception from Bart Starr. The Packers held the Chiefs' offense to 12 yards in the third quarter. Elijah Pitts scored another touchdown for the Packers in the third quarter on a one-yard touchdown run. The Packers would win the game 35–10. Quarterback Bart Starr was named the MVP of the game, completing 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

    Statistics[edit]

    Team leaders[edit]

    Category Player(s) Value
    Passing yards Bart Starr 2,257
    Passing touchdowns Bart Starr 14
    Rushing yards Jim Taylor 763
    Rushing touchdowns Elijah Pitts 7
    Receiving yards Carroll Dale 876
    Receiving touchdowns Carroll Dale 7
    Points Don Chandler 77
    Kickoff return yards Donny Anderson 533
    Punt return yards Donny Anderson 124
    Interceptions Dave Robinson/Bob Jeter 5
    Sacks Lionel Aldridge 12.5

    Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.[21]

    League rankings[edit]

    Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
    (out of 15)
    Passing offense 2,602 173.5 6th
    Rushing offense 1,673 111.5 8th
    Total offense 4,275 285 8th
    Passing defense 1,959 130.6 1st
    Rushing defense 1,644 109.6 6th
    Total defense 3,603 298.5 3rd

    Awards and records[edit]

    References[edit]

    1. ^ "Cold Hard Football Facts: The Dandy Dozen: 12 best passing seasons in history". Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  • ^ "Cold Hard Football Facts: 40 and Fabulous: in praise of passer rating". Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  • ^ "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
  • ^ "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
  • ^ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 453, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  • ^ 1966 Green Bay Packers draft on Database Football Archived 2006-12-07 at the Wayback Machine obtained 18 December 2006.
  • ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 396
  • ^ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 383, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  • ^ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 384, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  • ^ "(cover)". Sports Illustrated. August 22, 1966.
  • ^ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 385, Simon & Schuster, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  • ^ "Jim Taylor playing out his option". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. October 24, 1966. p. 16.
  • ^ "Vince bans scribe after Taylor story". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 25, 1966. p. 15.
  • ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (October 27, 1966). "The case of Jim Taylor of Green Bay". Milwaukee Journal. p. 17, part 2.
  • ^ "Jim Grabowski quits pro ball". Bryan Times. UPI. September 2, 1972. p. 7.
  • ^ "Pro title rosters". Pittsburgh Press. January 1, 1967. p. 2, section 4.
  • ^ "1966 Green Bay Packers Roster & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  • ^ "THE $1,000,000 FUMBLE". Sports Illustrated. December 19, 1966.
  • ^ Pro Football Hall of Fame: Super Bowl Game-Time Temperatures
  • ^ "Green Bay to train at San. Barbara". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 5, 1967. p. 20.
  • ^ "Pre-1982 Sacks Added To Pro Football Reference". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  • External links[edit]


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