RIP Willie Davis
The Pro Football Hall of Famer and legendary Packer was 85.
By PackerAaron
Sad news.
Hall of Famer and @packers Legend Willie Davis has passed away at the age of 85.
More: https://t.co/zyH0XgGuNi pic.twitter.com/y5kT1uJWUi
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) April 15, 2020
Davis began his career with the Cleveland Browns before being traded to the Packers in 1960. Davis played collegiate football at Grambling State University.
Davis never missed a game in 10 years with the Packers. He was also named the first African-American captain in Packers history by Vince Lombardi.
And as Corey is fond of saying, he is the true all-time Packers sack leader.
RIP to a legend.
Thank you, Willie. pic.twitter.com/M4RTTCy635
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) April 15, 2020
Comments (16)
jeremyjjbrown
April 15, 2020 at 12:20 pm
Goodbye Willie. Thanks for being such an awesome Packer and amazing person.
Tundraboy
April 16, 2020 at 01:13 am
Well said. Class man, and a true role model. Another chunk of my childhood is gone, but I feel privileged to have grown up in that era.
KevinGibson
April 15, 2020 at 12:20 pm
RIP, Willie. And 2020 can still eff right off.
TheVOR
April 15, 2020 at 01:22 pm
What a monster talent he was, such a historic HOF Green Bay Packer, and a great guy! RIP my friend, thanks for all the great memories.
Leatherhead
April 15, 2020 at 01:37 pm
Great player and human being. The only guy who has all four of our Super Bowl rings.
Listen to Dan Currie’s story about Willie Davis.
packerbackerjim
April 15, 2020 at 02:32 pm
A great player and better human being. He became very successful in the LA area, a beer distributorship and other interests. He took Lombardi’s life lessons and maxed them out just as he had his football talents. Requiescat in Pacem.
Lphill
April 15, 2020 at 03:50 pm
R.I .P to a great man and Packer. Joining Lombardi’s team in heaven.
13TimeChamps
April 15, 2020 at 04:23 pm
One of my all time favorite Packers. Even though he made the HOF, I always felt he was a little underrated, if that's possible.
Davis, Nitschke, Adderley and Wood. Now there is a Fearsome Foursome!!, Sadly, only Herb is still with us.
mamasboy
April 15, 2020 at 05:01 pm
A very classy human being!!!!!!!!!!
Since'61
April 15, 2020 at 08:22 pm
I commented on Willie’s passing earlier today in Jersey AL’s polluted mindset thread.
Willie was a great Packer and one of my favorite players. Sacks were not kept in his day but it is estimated that Willie had between 100 and 140 sacks during his career. 5 in the first 2 Super Bowls. He played in 14 game seasons!
He will be missed. RIP Willie and thanks for all the great plays and great memories. Stay well everyone. Thanks, Since ‘61
HaroldDrake
April 16, 2020 at 12:35 am
The passing of Willie Davis reminds Packers' fans of the extraordinary level of talent on the Lombardi era team that dominated the NFL in the sixties. Although the Packers' offence boasted a formidable collection of outstanding players - most notably the all-time great Green Bay QB Bart Starr - the defence was stacked with future HOFers as noted above by other people in the comments section. Willie Davis was one of the true greats who dominated the league alongside Ray Nitschke, Willie Wood, Herb Adderly, Dave Robinson, Bob Jeter et al. R.I.P Willie Davis, a man who enjoyed great success on the field and then later in life.
WMA
April 16, 2020 at 09:31 am
From son of sharecroppers who escaped during the night to HOF football player who got an MBA and ran several businesses and sat on number of high profile Boards. RIP Willie. Class act - great example for us all.
splitpea1
April 16, 2020 at 11:12 am
I don't understand why some Packer's numbers are retired and others are not. This seems like it should be one of them.
Since'61
April 16, 2020 at 05:49 pm
Agree, I’ve never understood how the Packers decide which numbers are retired and which aren’t. Willie is in the Ring of Honor but yet his number and several others numbers (e.g., Jim Taylor) have not been retired.
I’m guessing that if the Packers did retire all the numbers they could they would run out of numbers for their current players. The Yankees have retired far too many numbers, many undeserved, so their younger players now have numbers that look OL and DL numbers in the NFL.
As for Willie, retired number or not he was one of the greatest ever. Named to the NFL All - 60s team. Stay well. Thanks, Since ‘61
jannesbjornson
April 16, 2020 at 02:05 pm
Packers ALL-Time sack leader, no question about it. He always delivered the big play.
splitpea1
April 16, 2020 at 02:21 pm
That makes sense. I thought I might be unaware of some official quantitative measurement, but apparently not. Thanks for the clarification.