John Anderson: Green Bay Packers linebacker graced #59

John Anderson was one of the best linebackers in the Green Bay Packers modern era … that’s saying a lot, considering the likes of Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson and more recent players like Brian Noble and Bryce Paup.

Anderson played a long time for his home state team, having grown up in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Much like one of the newest Packers linebackers, Vince Biegel, a 2017 draft pick, Anderson began his career with an injury. In fact, in his first couple of seasons in Green Bay, Anderson broke his arm three times.

So as we continue our numbers countdown here at Lombardi Ave, we take a stop at #59, and focus in on Anderson.

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Number 59 has been worn by a just eight players since 1950.

In addition to Anderson, there are some recognizable names … maybe you remember Brad Jones? … or maybe you don’t want to remember Brad Jones.

Remember Na’il Diggs? How about Wayne Simmons? – RIP.

Maybe you do. Diggs was solid in Green Bay for a number of seasons and Simmons was a member of the 1996 Super Bowl XXXI-winning Packers team. He even had an interception in that Super Bowl.

Anderson played well and for a long time for the Packers. He grew up in the state, played for the Michigan Wolverines during his college career and then came back to play for the Packers for 12 years … mostly on really bad Packers teams.

Anderson was a 1978 first round draft pick for the Packers and started as a rookie. That team finished with an 8-7-1 record. He played for another 12 seasons as a linebacker. His final season, 1989, he was a member of the Don Majkowski-led team that went 10-6.

In between, not much success was realized.

In his book, “Packers by the Numbers: Jersey Numbers and the Players Who Wore Them,” John Maxymuk devotes an entire chapter to Anderson. It’s a great chapter … here are some excerpts:

"He was a mainstay as a starter, but the team had only one other winning season, strike-shortened 1982 when the Packers made the playoffs for the only time in the 1980s.Anderson was good, not great, a quietly effective strong-side linebacker who was a sure tackler, able to stop the run as well as cover the tight end. In 1979 he even kicked a field goal and an extra point as the team bounced from failing Chester Marcol to faltering Tom Birney. He was steady, but never made an All Pro or Pro Bowl team in his lengthy tenure.Anderson served as a dependable player for three losing coaches in his dozen years in the green and gold. Only [Brett Favre] Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Forrest Gregg, Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Buckets Goldenberg, and Dave Hanner had longer Packer playing careers – though Leroy Butler equaled Andy in 2001.Among linebackers, only Nitschke had as many interceptions, 25, in a Packer uniform. After retiring, Anderson spent several years as a local sportscaster and was elected to the Packers Hall of Fame in 1996."

Here are the Packers players since 1950 who have worn #59:

Next: Top 30 moments in Green Bay Packers history

Our 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
• Number 86
• Number 85
• Number 84
• Number 83
• Number 82
• Number 81
• Number 80
• Number 79
• Number 78
• Number 77
• Number 76
• Number 75
• Number 74
• Number 73
• Number 72
• Number 71
• Number 70
• Number 69
• Number 68
• Number 67
• Number 66
• Number 65
• Number 64
• Number 63
• Number 62
• Number 61
• Number 60