Green Bay Packers legendary Hall of Fame offensive tackle Forrest Gregg was one of the NFL's greatest offensive linemen in the history of the game. Born Alvis Forrest Gregg in Birthright, Texas in October 1933, Gregg was an NFL star for legendary coaches Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry in his long and enduring football career.
A Texan through and through, Gregg played college football in Dallas, starring at Southern Methodist University (SMU). In the 1956 NFL Draft, the Packers drafted the 6'4, 250-pound Gregg with the 20th overall pick (2nd round). Gregg was an immediate star and difference maker for Lombardi's Packer teams.
Despite possessing an undersized prototypical NFL offensive tackle frame, Gregg was an excellent player who displayed versatility, durability, and intelligence for 16 NFL seasons (15 w/GB, 1 w/Dallas Cowboys).
In his 15-year Packer career, Gregg won five NFL titles (two Super Bowls), was an 8-time All-Pro selection (7-time 1st team), and played in nine Pro Bowls. Gregg was named to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 1960's, and the NFL's75th Anniversary All-Time team.
Gregg played his final NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys in 1971, helping the 'boys win Super Bowl VI. Gregg and Cowboys' teammate Herb Adderly, another former Packer, each won six NFL championships, and are the only two players in NFL history to play for six World Championship teams.
Known as the "Iron Man" of football during his era, Gregg played in 193 games, including 188 consecutive in his tremendous pro football career.
In Lombardi's famed book Run to Daylight, Lombardi said "Forrest Gregg is the finest player I ever coached!". Marie Lombardi, Vince's widow, presented Gregg for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 1977.
Besides being a Pro Football Hall of Fame player, Gregg was also a former NFL coach. Gregg, who was an NFL (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Green Bay), Canadian Football League (Toronto Argonauts, Shreveport Pirates), and collegiate head coach (SMU), was somewhat successful.
In 1981, Gregg enjoyed his best season as a head coach, leading the Bengals to a 27-7 AFC Championship win over the San Diego Chargers in the not-so-notorious "Freezer Bowl". In Super Bowl XVI, the Bengals lost a nail-biter to the San Francisco 49ers, 26-21. In his NFL coaching career, Gregg's teams were 75-85-1.
Gregg was also SMU's head football coach after the NCAA sanctioned the infamous "death penalty" on the Mustangs' program for the 1987 season. In two seasons, Gregg's Mustangs won only three games in 22 tries.
Before Gregg's second season as SMU head football coach, Gregg took over as SMU's athletic director, holding the position down through 1994.
In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Gregg the 28th best player in NFL history. Gregg was the 2nd-highest ranked Packer player (behind Ray Nitschke), 2nd-best offensive tackle (Anthony Munoz), and 3rd-best offensive lineman (Munoz and John Hannah).
Gregg, arguably the best Packer player in the Lombardi era and one of the best offensive tackles in NFL history, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011, and today is still battling, like he did as an NFL player for 16 years.
Tags: Football, Forrest Gregg, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Herb Adderly, NFL, SMU, Super Bowl, Tom Landry, Vince LombardiRelated Videos
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