Playing Catch With Bart Starr
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
"I was just one part of a great team." – Bart Starr
Games played – 196 (over 16 seasons)… Passing yards – 24,718… Touchdowns – 167 (152 passing and 15 running)
And yet, Bart Starr – a 17th round draft pick – was much more than a compilation of individual statistics. He was the consummate teammate and a “field general” unlike any other. From 1960 through 1967, Bart's "won-lost record" was a mind-blowing 62-24-4 and the Packers won six divisional, five NFL, and the two Super Bowl championships (Bart was named MVP of both Super Bowl I and II).
In an era of balanced offenses and run-first, pass-second gameplans, Bart still managed to set scores of NFL records including highest completion percentage (57.4%) at the time of his retirement. And he continues to own the second highest postseason QB rating, behind only Patrick Mahomes.
But, in his own words, being a successful NFL quarterback required much more than the ability to accurately throw a football downfield. “The quarterback’s job is to be a coach on the field. I’d say there are three things a quarterback must have. One, he’s got to have the respect of his teammates. Two, his authority must be unquestioned. And three, his teammates must be willing to be to the gates of hell with him.”
A devoted husband of more than 60 years and an unapologetic believer in Jesus Christ, Starr has an NFL award named after him. The Bart Starr Award is given annually, by a panel of judges, to an NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community. Among his charitable works were the Rawhide Boys Ranch, a facility designed to help at-risk and troubled boys throughout the state of Wisconsin; the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, which raises funds for cancer research and care in honor of his late coach, Vince Lombardi; and the Starr Children’s Fund, which supports pediatric cancer research and care.
Bart Starr died in 2019 at the age of 85, but his legacy lives on. More importantly, his eternal spirit lives on in heaven, where I sure would enjoy having a catch with him someday.
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
