1970 Green Bay Packers season
Encyclopedia
The 1970 Green Bay Packers
season was their 50th season in the National Football League
. The club posted a 6-8 record under coach Phil Bengtson
, his last at the helm, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central
division.
succumbed to cancer
on September 3, at the age of 57. Over 3,500 people attended Lombardi's funeral, including pallbearers Bart Starr
, Paul Hornung
and Willie Davis. Three days after his death, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
announced that the Super Bowl
trophy would be renamed in Lombardi's honor.
and Rich McGeorge
. In total, the Packers selected 20 players in the draft, nine of those being in the first seven rounds.
Incomplete list
* Both Lambeau Field and Milwaukee County Stadium were home fields for the Packers.
and NFL, the Packers had only their second losing season since 1959. Thoroughly frustrated, Phil Bengtson resigned two days after being shut out in the season finale against the Detroit Lions
. Disappointed with Bengston's overall 20-21-1 record during three seasons as Vince Lombardi's handpicked successor, it was obvious the organization and the community craved the high standards of winning established a decade earlier.
The 1970 season was also the final season of Forrest Gregg
as a Packer, a year later he returned home to play for the Dallas Cowboys
where he joined his own teammate Herb Adderley
.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
season was their 50th season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The club posted a 6-8 record under coach Phil Bengtson
Phil Bengtson
John Phillip Bengtson was a college football player and longtime assistant coach on the collegiate and NFL levels, chiefly remembered as the successor to Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1968....
, his last at the helm, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central
NFC North
The NFC North is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference, based in the Upper Midwest region of the United States...
division.
Offseason
The Packers' 1970 season began in a state of mourning. After a summer in and out of Georgetown Hospital, Vince LombardiVince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
succumbed to cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on September 3, at the age of 57. Over 3,500 people attended Lombardi's funeral, including pallbearers Bart Starr
Bart Starr
Bryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 ....
, Paul Hornung
Paul Hornung
Paul Vernon Hornung is a retired Hall of Fame professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1957-66...
and Willie Davis. Three days after his death, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
announced that the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
trophy would be renamed in Lombardi's honor.
1970 NFL draft
In the 1970 NFL draft, the Packers used their two picks in the first-round to choose Mike McCoyMike McCoy (defensive tackle)
Michael Patrick McCoy played for the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders, the New York Giants, and the Detroit Lions. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he was a unanimous first-team All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate in 1969...
and Rich McGeorge
Rich McGeorge
Richard Eugene McGeorge is a former professional American football player who played tight end for nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League....
. In total, the Packers selected 20 players in the draft, nine of those being in the first seven rounds.
Incomplete list
| Round | Sel# | Player | Pos. | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Mike McCoy Mike McCoy (defensive tackle) Michael Patrick McCoy played for the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders, the New York Giants, and the Detroit Lions. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he was a unanimous first-team All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate in 1969... |
DT | Notre Dame University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... |
| 1 | 16 | Rich McGeorge Rich McGeorge Richard Eugene McGeorge is a former professional American football player who played tight end for nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League.... |
Tight end Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
Elon Elon University Elon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes... |
| 2 | 41 | Al Matthews Al Matthews (American football) Alvin Leon Matthews is a former professional American football defensive back who played in eight National Football League seasons from 1970-1977 for the Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers.-External links:*... |
DB Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
Texas A&M Texas A&M University Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school... |
| 3 | 68 | Jim Carter Jim Carter (American football) James Charles Carter is a former American football player who played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League from 1970-1978.-External links:*went to South Saint Paul High School... |
LB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Minnesota University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557... |
| 4 | 93 | Ken Ellis Ken Ellis Kenneth Alfonzo Ellis is an athlete who played in the National Football League from 1970 to 1979.Ellis's football career began at Ralph Johnson Bunche High School in Woodbine, Georgia. He was one of the best high school running backs in the state of Georgia... |
DB | Southern Southern University Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section... |
| 4 | 96 | Skip Butler Skip Butler William Foster "Skip" Butler is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played seven seasons for the New Orleans Saints, the New York Giants, and the Houston Oilers.... |
K | Texas-Arlington University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, United States. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military... |
| 5 | 120 | Cecil Pryor | Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... |
|
| 6 | 145 | Ervin Hunt Ervin Hunt -Career:Hunt was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1970 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. He played at the collegiate level at California State University, Fresno.-References:... |
DB | Fresno St. |
| 7 | 172 | Cleo Walker Cleo Walker Cleo Walker is a former linebacker and center in the National Football League.-Career:Walker was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 1970 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. The following season he played with the Atlanta Falcons.He played at the collegiate... |
LB | Louisville University of Louisville The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General... |
| 13 | 328 | Dave Smith Dave Smith (running back) Dave Smith is a former running back in the National Football League.-Career:Smith was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the thirteenth round of the 1970 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Utah.-References:... |
RB | Utah University of Utah The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest... |
| 15 | 380 | Mike Carter Mike Carter (American football) Mike Carter is a former wide receiver in the National Football League.-Biography:Carter was born Michael Norman Carter on February 18, 1948 in Little Rock, Arkansas.-Career:... |
WR | Sacramento State California State University, Sacramento California State University, Sacramento, popularly known as Sacramento State, is a public university located in the city of Sacramento, California. It is part of the California State University system... |
| 17 | 432 | Larry Krause Larry Krause Larry Krause was a player in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers from 1970 to 1974 as a running back. He played at the collegiate level at St. Norbert College.-References:... |
RB | St. Norbert St. Norbert College St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175... |
Schedule
The Packers finished 6-8 in the regular season, failing to reach the playoffs.| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 20 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 0-40 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... * |
0-1 | 56,263 |
| 2 | September 27 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 27-24 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
1-1 | 56,263 |
| 3 | October 4 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 13-10 | Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events... * |
2-1 | 47,967 |
| 4 | October 12 | at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 22-20 | San Diego Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area.... |
3-1 | 53,064 |
| 5 | October 18 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
L 21-31 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
3-2 | 56,263 |
| 6 | October 25 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 30-17 | Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events... |
4-2 | 48,022 |
| 7 | November 1 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 10-26 | Kezar Stadium Kezar Stadium Kezar Stadium is a stadium located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. It is the former home of the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, and of the San Francisco Dragons of MLL. It also served as the home of the... |
4-3 | 59,335 |
| 8 | November 9 | Baltimore Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
L 10-13 | Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events... |
4-4 | 48,063 |
| 9 | November 15 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20-19 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
5-4 | 56,263 |
| 10 | November 22 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
L 3-10 | Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America... |
5-5 | 47,900 |
| 11 | November 26 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 3-16 | Cotton Bowl Cotton Bowl (stadium) The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,... |
5-6 | 67,182 |
| 12 | December 6 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W 20-12 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
6-6 | 46,418 |
| 13 | December 13 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 17-35 | Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
6-7 | 44,957 |
| 14 | December 20 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 0-20 | Tiger Stadium | 6-8 | 57,387 |
Standings
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings 1970 Minnesota Vikings season 1970 was the tenth year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 51st regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first season of play following the AFL-NFL merger, as the Vikings played in the National Football Conference... |
12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 335 | 143 |
| Detroit Lions 1970 Detroit Lions season -References:***... |
10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 347 | 202 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 196 | 293 |
| Chicago Bears 1970 Chicago Bears season The 1970 Chicago Bears season was their 51st regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-8 record, another below .500 showing, but an improvement over their 1-13 record of the previous season.-Regular season:... |
6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 256 | 261 |
Post season
After a turbulent season filled with labor disputes, blowout losses, and the final merger of the AFLAmerican Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and NFL, the Packers had only their second losing season since 1959. Thoroughly frustrated, Phil Bengtson resigned two days after being shut out in the season finale against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. Disappointed with Bengston's overall 20-21-1 record during three seasons as Vince Lombardi's handpicked successor, it was obvious the organization and the community craved the high standards of winning established a decade earlier.
The 1970 season was also the final season of Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
as a Packer, a year later he returned home to play for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
where he joined his own teammate Herb Adderley
Herb Adderley
Herbert Allen Adderley is a former American football cornerback who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League....
.
Statistical leaders
The following players led the Packers in the following statistical categories in 1970.| Passing | |||||
| Leader | Comp | Att | Yds | Td | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bart Starr Bart Starr Bryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 .... |
144 | 255 | 1645 | 8 | 13 |
| Rushing | |||||
| Leader | Att | Yds | YPA | Tds | |
| Donny Anderson Donny Anderson Garry Don "Donny" Anderson is a former professional American football player who played nine years in the National Football League... |
222 | 853 | 3.8 | 5 | |
| Travis Williams Travis Williams (running back) Travis Williams was an American football player for the Green Bay Packers. Williams, drafted at the insistence of Packers' coach Vince Lombardi, returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in his rookie season in 1967, setting an NFL record. Among the returns were two in one game against the Cleveland... |
74 | 276 | 3.7 | 1 | |
| Receiving | |||||
| Leader | Rec | Yds | YPC | Tds | |
| Carroll Dale Carroll Dale Carroll Wayne Dale is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Virginia Tech from 1956–59. Dale was named second-team All American in 1958 and 1959.... |
49 | 814 | 16.6 | 2 | |
| Donny Anderson | 36 | 414 | 11.5 | 0 | |
| John Hilton | 25 | 350 | 14.0 | 4 | |