Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Very sad to hear of another one of the Glory Years Packers passing away. RIP Mr. Davis
RIP Willie. One of the all-time greats. The sad thing is due to Covid-19 the remaining 60's era Packers will probably not be able to attend the funeral.
Willie Davis was a great player, but a greater person ... like so many of the Packers players from the 60s.
Getting his MBA from the University of Chicago while playing for the Pack is a testament to his unbelievable intelligence and drive.
Sad news......sadder that no one can get to his funeral. RIP. 🙏🏻 for his family, fellow Packer players and friends.
Completely underrated.
RIP Willie.
There are some Packers that are/were excellent representatives of the team, and Willie was one of the finest.
He was just as excellent when it came to representing human beings.
We know their time is coming with each and every year that passes. Yet, it's heartbreaking to get this news every time. RIP, Mr. Davis. You were a living embodiment of Lombardi's goal of making great football players second only to making great men. Sad day.
RIP.
Class personified.
Attachments
Images (1)
All you need to know about Willie Davis is in this clip. RIP.
Davis was selected with pick number 181 in the 15th round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, but he did not start his career until the 1958 NFL season due to military service in the United States Army. Davis wore number 77 and played at various positions on both offense and defense for the Browns, before being traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1960.
Davis wore number 87 during his career with the Packers, where he was moved to a permanent position at defensive end by Vince Lombardi. For 10 seasons, Davis anchored the Packers' defensive line, playing 138 consecutive regular-season games and part of 162 regular-season games for his NFL career. Davis was a member of all five of Lombardi's NFL title-winning teams and played in Super Bowls I and II.
Davis played in an era when neither tackles nor sacks were official statistics. However, John Turney, a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association, reports that Davis had in excess of 100 sacks during his 10-year Green Bay career (1960–69), "possibly more than 120," including a minimum of 40 over the 1963–65 seasons alone. Davis himself is quoted as saying, "I would think I would have to be the team's all-time leader in sacks. I played 10 years and I averaged in the 'teens' in sacks for those 10 years. I had 25 one season. [Paul] Hornung just reminded me of that the other day." Davis earned All-Pro honors 5 times (1962, 64–67). He was voted to the Pro Bowl five times (1963–67).
Davis recovered 21 fumbles over his Packers career, which, more than three decades removed from his retirement, remains a team record. The Packers honored his retirement with a Willie Davis Day on December 21, 1969. Davis served on the the team's Board of Directors.
Great player and person. Not many of the Lombardi Packers left. 
michiganjoe posted:Great player and person. Not many of the Lombardi Packers left.
They will always be with us! I love those guys!
RIP Willie!
I was just viewing this you tube video on Willie last night.
Also, on Packers.com there is this 'Remembering Willie Davis Tribute'.
He was quite a guy and player. I remember my dad watching him play later in Willie's career and he was giving voice to his thoughts about how the Packers were ever going to him and other Lombardi players.
I spoke to Willie Davis on the phone once, he was a nice guy. I was working at Radio & Records Newspaper and he owned several radio stations at the time.
His book "Closing the Gap" is worth reading, especially for old-time fans like me. I bought a used copy on Amazon. It was signed "To Michael - All the best - a real Packer fan - Willie Davis - HOF81"
No idea when or where it was signed, nor do I know who Michael is. Weird that he didn't keep it. I recommend the book highly.
