Green Bay Packers countdown to NFL football season 2017 – #86, Billy Howton
Billy Howton, a Green Bay Packers wide receiver, was one of those players of the 1950s who helped usher in the modern era of football, but played so long ago, nobody living remembers the guy and what he brought to Green Bay and to the is emblematic of the Lombardi era – winning multiple championships and going on to huge success as a businessman after football.
Here at Lombardi Ave, we are taking the time now to count down the days to the start of the 2017 season by looking at the numbers from 99-to-1 and the players who wore those jerseys.
Today we stop at #86 – a jersey worn by 16 in total since 1950 – some well-known and highly successful players.
The team’s history – one that we all know is well worth remembering and writing about – is the focus at this time of the offseason – at least for us.
That’s the goal here – to remember many of the dozens of players who have been counted as a professionals in Packers News.
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Today, we highlight a player that many of you my have heard of, but only from afar.
You see, there have been some really good players to have worn #86, including Boyd Dowler and Antonio Freeman – heck, Ed West and Donald Lee also had pretty good success wearing the uniform for the Packers.
Today we focus on Billy Howton who was one of those really talented players doomed to play their entire career on bad teams.
But that didn’t mean their individual successes didn’t overshadow their misfortune in the wins and losses categories.
But like yesterday’s number, there were those failures who wore #86, such as Kent Gaydos, Jessie Green, and J.J. Moses. No, I had never heard of those guys either.
So, how can we not focus on Antonio Freeman, who spent 1995-2003 with the Packers? Or why not Dowler? Their statistics are undeniable; the fact that Freeman rose from the depths of the Packers roster and earned his way into stardom was a great feat. The fact that Dowler played on some pretty good teams and benefitted from the talent around him is undeniable.
Freeman and Dowler were great players.
How can we forget how Freeman made that Miracle Monday Night catch against the Vikings in overtime and helped lead the Packers to two straight Super Bowls? How can we not forget Dowler’s role in the Packers passing game with that 1960s dynasty.
We can’t and we shouldn’t.
But we shouldn’t forget the skills offered by Billy Howton either …
Let’s take a look.
The number is currently worn, of course, by wide receiver Jordy Nelson, a key to the success of the 2017 team.
But when the Seattle Seahawks visit Green Bay to play the Packers in the kickoff to the start of the NFL season Sept. 10, we’ll know a little bit more about the team’s history and many of the players who have worn the Green and Gold.
The countdown, from the beginning:
- Number 99
- Number 98
- Number 97
- Number 96
- Number 95
- Number 94
- Number 93
- Number 92
- Number 91
- Number 90
- Number 89
- Number 88
- Number 87
Many have passed through Green Bay – players who don’t necessarily stand out in the statistics, but still had some sort of impact on the franchise.
This focus is on #86 …