Willie Davis (football player)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Willie D Davis
Date of birth	December 7, 1934 (age 72)
Place of birth	Lisbon, Louisiana
Position(s)	Defensive End
College	Grambling State
NFL Draft	1956 / Round 15
Pro Bowls	1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967
Honors	NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Statistics	DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1958-1959 1960-1969	Cleveland Browns Green Bay Packers
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1981

William Delford Davis was born July 24, 1934 in Lisbon, Louisiana. Willie, grew up in rural Louisiana and graduated from Grambling State University, The Cleveland Browns drafted Davis in the 15th round in the 1956 NFL Draft, and he was originally an offensive tackle, but didn't play up to his standards, but in 1959 Green Bay Packers GM/Head Coach Vince Lombardi saw talent in Davis. Lombardi recognized immediately that Davis' cat-like speed and agility would be utilized as a defensive lineman. Thus began one of the greatest careers ever at that position.

For 10 seasons, Davis anchored the Packers' defensive line, playing 138 consecutive regular-season games, part of 162 consecutive regular-season games for his NFL career. Davis was member to all 5 of Lombardi's NFL title-winning teams and played in Super Bowls I and II.

Over the course of his career, playing in an era when neither tackles nor sacks were official statistics, Davis earned Associated Press All-Pro honors 5 times (1962, 64-67). Meanwhile he was voted to the Pro Bowl five times (1963-67).

Davis recovered 21 fumbles over his Packers career, which, more than three decades removed from his retirement, remains a team record. The Packers honored his retirement with a Willie Davis Day on December 21, 1969. Davis remains on Green Bay Packers Board of Directors.

Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1999, he was ranked number 69 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.