Ray Nitschke
Sports Illustrated photograph

Think about it – if you have a bridge named after you, you’ve got to be pretty important – such is the case for the late great Ray Nitschke, who died on this date in 1998.

Nitschke is legendary in these parts. As the rock of the great Vince Lombardi/Phil Bengston-coached defenses of the 1960s, he manned the middle linebacking position from 1958 through 1972, playing in 190 regular season games. That’s more than any defensive player in team history.

While out on a Sunday drive with his daughter and granddaughter, Nitschke suffered a massive heart attack while sitting in his car outside a convenience store in Venice, Fla. Nitschke had a home in Naples, Fla., and was on his way to a friend’s home with his daughter, Amy Klaas.

Here’s how the New York Times described Nitschke in a news brief announcing his death:

The personification of the rough-and-tumble linebacker who could smother a running back and level a quarterback with equal aplomb, Nitschke was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978 and was selected for the National Football League’s 50th and 75th anniversary all-star teams.

His old coach Vince Lombardi once called pro football ”a game that requires the constant conjuring of animosity.” Nitschke was not huge — he stood 6 feet 3 inches and weighed 235 pounds — but he fit Lombardi’s mold perfectly, once remarking: ”My father died when I was 3, my mother when I was 14, so I took it out on all the kids in the neighborhood. What I like about this game is the contact, the man-to-man, the getting-it-out-of-your-system.”

Forest Gregg, a teammate of Nitschke’s who also coached the Packers in the 1980s, said this at the time, ”Oh my God. You just thought Nitschke would be here forever. He was a great guy who epitomized what the Packers were back then. He was one of a kind.”

Though statistics on sacks and tackles weren’t kept during the time that Nitschke played, according to pro-football-reference, the Hall-of-Famer had 25 interceptions during his career that he returned for 385 yards and two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns, in 1960, he returned 90 yards. He also recovered 23 fumbles during his career and even returned 6 kickoffs for 53 yards.

Ray Nitschke as a college all-star

Also incredibly and quite amazingly, Nitschke had a single recorded pass reception during his career. According to Wikipedia, “On December 17, 1972, the 9-4 Green Bay Packers traveled to New Orleans to play the 1-11-1 Saints at Tulane Stadium for Nitschke’s last regular season game of his career. Nitschke recored the only pass reception of his career in this game, a 34-yard gain on a blocked field goal attempt for which he was blocking.”

The Packers went on to the playoffs that year, but lost to the Washington Redskins in Nitschke’s final game as a Green Bay Packer.

On this date in 1972, Nitschke signed a contract for a 15th season with the team.

Courtesy of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, this post describes how Nitschke signed his final contract with the team after returning from a vacation in Hawaii.

Enjoy …

Ray Goes For 15   May 10, 1972 - Ray Nitschke, already the senior most defensive player in Packers history, signs a contract to play a 15th season with the team. The veteran middle linebacker inks his new pact after returning from a vacation in Hawaii. “He’s in excellent condition and has a great attitude,” Packers coach Dan Devine says. “We feel he can make a great contribution to the team next year. People like Nitschke and (Bart) Starr are an inspiration and example to our younger people.” Nitschke’s last year with Green Bay is memorable as the Packers finish 10-4 and make the playoffs for the first time in five years. Photo of Ray Nitschke

Today’s posting by the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, This Date in Packers History, features Nitschke.

Enjoy.

But enough introduction, time to get down to the offensive battles to take place on the field:

Fullback
The Packers have a three-way battle for the fullback spot in Mike McCarthy‘s West Coast offense between Korey Hall and John Kuhn, who have been in Green Bay for the past two years, and Quinn Johnson, a draft pick out of LSU.  Both Hall and Kuhn are special teamers who could make the team that way, while the blocking abilities of Johnson will be tested by the coaches at every opportunity.  Ryan Grant‘s yards-per-carry average dropped from 5.1 in 2007 to 3.9 in 2008, so the Packers are looking for the best blocker they can get.  The Packers have kept multiple fullbacks on the roster in the past few years.  My picks: Hall and Johnson, with Kuhn the odd man out.  Hall will be the starter.  Hall has been solid in his conversion from a linebacker at Boise State and continues to progress, while Johnson provides some athleticism as a blocker.

Right Tackle
With long time mainstay Mark Tauscher gone, the Packers have a wide-open competition for that spot.  During OTAs and mini-camps, third-year man Allen Barbre worked with the first unit and many expect him to open camp with the first team.  Rookie T.J. Lang wants to play immediated and will be no slouch for Barbre to compete with, with while second-year man Breno Giacomini is coming off ankle surgery and could steal the job if Lang and Barbre aren’t careful.  My pick: Barbre, on experience.  This battle will be interesting, as Lang, who went to Eastern Michigan, is intriguing, but Barbre’s good performance in OTAs and mini-camps will translate into a good training camp and a starting job for him.

Center
In the past two years, Scott Wells and Jason Spitz have started all the games for the Packers at center, with Wells starting 26 and Spitz filling in on the other 6.  Wells ran into injury problems in 2008, causing the offensive line to be shuffled around as Spitz filled in at center.  This race will go down to the wire and has potential ramifications for the rest of the offensive line, as Spitz can also play either guard position, meaning that if he loses this race, he could jump in one of the guard racers and steal that spot.  My pick: I’m going to have to give it to Wells by a nose.

No. 5 Wide Receiver
The Packers already have their Top 4 lined up, but the Packers want a fifth wide receiver to make their “Big 5″ formaton work.  Ruvell Martin has held down the spot the last three years, but has seen his production decline.  One of the Packers seventh-round picks from 2008, Brett Swain spent 2008 on the practice squad but has been impressive in camps.  Also in the race are Jake Allen, who had a good preseason in 2008 and Kole Heckendorf who “flashed some ability during OTAs” according to the Packers website.  My picks: The Packers carry six receivers, allowing them to go big within the Big 5 with Martin, or smaller with Swain, creating more matchup problems.

No. 2 Quarterback
We were all shocked last year when seventh-round pick Matt Flynn came into training camp and beat out second-round pick Brian Brohm for the No. 2 spot.  However, Flynn’s brief appearances relieving Aaron Rodgers and his subsequent offseason workouts and OTAs have done nothing to secure his spot as the No. 2 QB, allowing Brohm another crack at the job.  Both players have had a year in the system and will be working against a difficult 3-4 defense so they will be tested and able to show much improvement.  Plus, they will see more time in preseason games, as Rodgers no longer needs that starting experience as much as he did last year.  My pick: Brohm leapfrogs Flynn to take the job.

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