Thirty Sundays to NFL football: 30 reasons why we love the Green Bay Packers

Paul Hornung

Paul Hornung, the “Golden Boy,” was the perfect complement in the Packers backfield to Jim Taylor, the bruising fullback who in those days got the bulk of the carries.

But it was Hornung’s versatility in running, pass-catching and place kicking that helped him stand out – and one of the reasons he, too, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In addition to the 1,000-yard seasons that Taylor was recording in the early 1960s, Hornung was carrying the ball about 150 times per season for nearly 700 yards, while also catching the ball out of the backfield.

In his career, Hornung carried the ball 893 times for 3,711 yards, while scoring 50 touchdowns. His average per-carry was just decimal points less than Taylor’s at 4.2 yards.

He also caught 130 passes during his career for 1,480 yards – numbers that might pale in comparison to today’s pass-catching running backs, but numbers that were pretty phenomenal for the time.

In addition to his running and catching skills, Hornung was the team’s primary place kicker. During his career he converted 66 field goals (his longest was 52 yards). He also made 190 of 194 extra point attempts.

Known as a ladies man, Hornung also had other off the field issues … he was suspended for gambling in the early 1960s, but came back to finish his career with the Packers, retiring after the Packers won Super Bowl I – a game in which he didn’t participate because of injury.

He was one of Lombardi’s best during the team’s glory years and should never be forgotten for all he brought to Green Bay.

Next: Mike Holmgren