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Kevin Greene again named finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame

For the second straight year, Packers OLB coach Kevin Greene has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Greene is one of 15 modern-era finalists to join two senior nominees — one of whom is former Packers LB Dave Robinson — for consideration for election to the Class of 2013 when the selection committee meets the day before the Super Bowl.

The selection committee will elect a class of between four and seven members. No more than five can come from the 15 modern-era finalists. A class of six or seven can be achieved if the senior nominees are also chosen.

Greene has reached the semifinalist stage since 2008 and was named a finalist for the first time last year.

Here is the complete list of finalists:

·         Larry Allen – G/T – 1994-2005 Dallas Cowboys; 2006-07 San Francisco 49ers
·         Jerome Bettis – RB – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams; 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
·         Tim Brown – WR/KR/PR – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders; 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
·         Cris Carter – WR – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles; 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings; 2002 Miami Dolphins
·         Curley Culp* – 1968-1974 Kansas City Chiefs; 1974-1980 Houston Oilers; 1980-81 Detroit Lions
·         Edward DeBartolo, Jr. – Owner – 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers
·         Kevin Greene – LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams;  1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers; 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers; 1997 San Francisco 49ers
·         Charles Haley – DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers; 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
·         Art Modell – Owner – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns; 1996-2011 Baltimore Ravens
·         Jonathan Ogden – T – 1996-2007 Baltimore Ravens
·         Bill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants; 1993-96 New England Patriots; 1997-99 New York Jets; 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
·         Andre Reed – WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills; 2000 Washington Redskins
·         Dave Robinson* – 1963-1972 Green Bay Packers; 1973-74 Washington Redskins
·         Warren Sapp – DT – 1995-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2004-07 Oakland Raiders
·         Will Shields – G – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
·         Michael Strahan – DE – 1993-2007 New York Giants
·         Aeneas Williams – CB/S – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals; 2001-04 St. Louis Rams

*senior nominee

Here are the bios on Greene and Robinson as provided in the Hall of Fame news release:

Kevin Greene
Linebacker/Defensive End … 6-3, 247 … Auburn … 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers … 15 seasons, 228 games … Selected by Rams in 5th round (113th player overall) in 1985 draft … Played primarily on special teams as rookie, only season he didn’t register a sack  … Did not have any starts in second season, but played in all 16 games and managed seven sacks … Added 6.5 sacks in 1987 and by fourth season was bona fide pass rusher for Rams, registering career-high 16.5 sacks, including career-best 4.5 sacks in win over 49ers in season finale that clinched playoff spot for Rams … Following year matched his 16.5 sacks total … Had double-digit sack totals 10 times, second in record book at the time … Only time missed recording 10 sacks in any of last eight seasons was 1995 when he had team-leading nine sacks for Steelers … Named to Pro Bowl five times (once with the Rams, twice with Steelers and Panthers) … Selected first-team All-Pro, 1989 with Rams, 1994 with Pittsburgh and 1996 with Carolina … Captured league sack title twice, 1994 and 1996 … A member of NFL’s All-Decade Team of 1990s … Played in six conference championship games and one Super Bowl … Led team in sacks 11 times and amassed 160 total sacks, third all-time at time of retirement … Also had three safeties, 26 opponent fumble recoveries, and five interceptions … Born July 31, 1962 in New York, New York.

Dave Robinson
Linebacker … 6-3, 245 … Penn State … 1963-1972 Green Bay Packers, 1973-74 Washington Redskins … 12 seasons, 155 games … Selected in 1st round (14th player overall) by Packers in 1963 NFL Draft … Chosen in 3rd round (17th player overall) by San Diego Chargers in AFL Draft … Signed with Green Bay and quickly built reputation as big-play performer on Vince Lombardi-coached Packers dynasty … Started at left outside linebacker in three straight NFL championship wins, 1965-67 … Starting OLB in Packers victories in Super Bowls I and II … Recorded two tackles, five assisted tackles, one fumble recovery and pass defensed in Green Bay’s 33-14 win over Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl II … Rebounded from Achilles tendon injury in 1970 to regain form as one of game’s finest linebackers … Intercepted 27 passes which he returned for 449 yards in career … Lone interception return for touchdown came in first season with Washington … Named All-Pro second-team in 1968 and 1969 … First-team All-NFL selection three straight seasons, 1967-69 … Elected to three Pro Bowls … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s … Born May 3, 1941 in Mt. Holly, New Jersey.

Hall of Fame nominees announced

Four individuals with ties to the Packers were among the 127 nominees announced this week for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2013.

Outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene, former safety LeRoy Butler, former GM Ron Wolf and Clay Matthews Jr., father of current LB Clay Matthews III, are all on the list.

The list of nominees will eventually be pared to 15 finalists, who will join former Packers LB Dave Robinson, a senior nominee, for the final stage of consideration. Greene was a finalist last year after being a semifinalist in previous years.

LB Dave Robinson nominated for Hall of Fame

Former Packers LB Dave Robinson, a member of Vince Lombardi’s three championship teams in the mid-1960s, has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the senior committee.

The other senior nominee for 2013 is former Chiefs, Oilers and Lions DT Curley Culp.

Robinson, a linebacker from Penn State, was drafted in the first round by Green Bay in 1963. He played in 127 games over a decade (1963-72) with the Packers. He was named a Pro Bowl starter in 1966 and 1967 and made a third Pro Bowl squad in 1969. A consensus first-team All-Pro in 1967, Robinson is a member of the NFL’s all-decade team from the 1960s. He played the final two seasons of his career (1973-74) with the Washington Redskins.

Robinson compiled 27 interceptions over the course of his career, 21 of them with the Packers.

Senior committee nominees, whose careers were completed at least 25 years ago, must receive the same minimum of 80 percent of the vote from the full selection committee for induction. The two senior nominees will be added to the list of 15 other finalists the selection committee chooses. Either one or two players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame via the senior committee route each of the past nine years.

McCarthy attends HOF induction

Head Coach Mike McCarthy used the afternoon and evening off from practice on Saturday to attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio, for the first time.

McCarthy said he was invited by the family of Jack Butler, a Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback from the 1950s who was a Seniors Committee nominee. McCarthy grew up with the Butler family in Pittsburgh.

Much of the Hall’s Class of 2012 has ties to Pittsburgh, McCarthy’s hometown. In addition to Butler, center Dermontii Dawson played for the Steelers. Running back Curtis Martin and defensive end Chris Doleman played for the University of Pittsburgh and both grew up in Pennsylvania.

Also, offensive tackle Willie Roaf played for the Saints when McCarthy was offensive coordinator in New Orleans.

“It was awesome,” McCarthy said. “I was honored to be there. A lot of connections to individuals that went in.”

Former Packers radio broadcaster Jim Irwin dies

Jim Irwin, a radio voice of the Green Bay Packers for 30 years, died on Sunday at the age of 77.

Multiple media outlets have reported that Irwin died of complications from kidney cancer.

Irwin originally joined the Packers radio broadcasts for color commentary in 1969, working alongside Ted Moore and Gary Bender. Then in 1975, Irwin took over play-by-play duties until retiring after the 1998 season. Irwin’s color commentators included Lionel Aldridge, Max McGee and Larry McCarren.

In two of Irwin’s last three seasons, the Packers went to the Super Bowl, winning the title following the 1996 season.

During his distinguished career, Irwin also worked as a play-by-play announcer for Wisconsin Badgers football and Milwaukee Bucks basketball.

Irwin was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2003. He was named the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year 10 times and is a member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.

For an extended version of this story, including comments from McCarren and former Packers president/CEO Bob Harlan, click here.

Greene named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

A semifinalist three times previously, Packers Outside Linebackers Coach Kevin Greene for the first time has advanced to the finalist stage for potential induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Greene was named one of 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees) by the Hall of Fame selection committee on Saturday. Former Packers GM Ron Wolf also was a semifinalist but did not advance to the finalist stage. For more on both individuals, please refer to a story posted earlier this week on packers.com.

The HOF selection committee will meet on Saturday, Feb. 4 (the day before Super Bowl XLVI) in Indianapolis to elect the 2012 class of inductees. Between four and seven of the finalists will be elected, but no more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in any one year. The class can grow to six or seven members if one or both of the senior nominees are chosen.

From the Hall of Fame’s press release on Saturday, below is the list of all of this year’s finalists (* denotes senior nominee), plus the synopsis on Greene’s career:

·         Jerome Bettis – Running Back – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

·         Tim Brown – Wide Receiver/Kick Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

·         Jack Butler* – Cornerback – 1951-59 Pittsburgh Steelers

·         Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

·         Dermontti Dawson – Center – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers

·         Edward DeBartolo, Jr. – Owner – 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers

·         Chris Doleman – Defensive End/Linebacker – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers

·         Kevin Greene – Linebacker/Defensive End – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

·         Charles Haley – Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

·         Cortez Kennedy – Defensive Tackle – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks

·         Curtis Martin – Running Back – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets

·         Bill Parcells – Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys

·         Andre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

·         Willie Roaf – Tackle – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs

·         Will Shields – Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs

·         Dick Stanfel* – Guard – 1952-55 Detroit Lions, 1956-58 Washington Redskins

·         Aeneas Williams – Cornerback/Safety – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams

KEVIN GREENE

Linebacker/Defensive End … 6-3, 247 … Auburn… 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers … 15 seasons, 228 games … Selected by Rams in 5th round (113th player overall) in 1985 draft … Played primarily on special teams as rookie, only season he didn’t register a sack  … Did not have any starts in second season, but played in all 16 games and managed seven sacks … Added 6.5 sacks in 1987 and by fourth season was bona fide pass rusher for Rams, registering career-high 16.5 sacks, including career-best 4.5 sacks in win over 49ers in season finale that clinched playoff spot for Rams … Following year matched his 16.5 sacks total … Had double-digit sack totals ten times, second in record book at the time … Only time missed recording 10 sacks in any of last eight seasons was 1995 when he had team-leading nine sacks for Steelers … Named to Pro Bowl five times (once with the Rams, twice with Steelers and Panthers) … Selected first-team All-Pro, 1989 with Rams, 1994 with Pittsburgh and 1996 with Carolina … Captured league sack title twice, 1994 and 1996 … A member of NFL’s All-Decade Team of 1990s … Played in six conference championship games and one Super Bowl … Led team in sacks 11 times and amassed 160 total sacks, third all-time at time of retirement … Also had three safeties, 26 opponent fumble recoveries, and five interceptions … Born July 31, 1962 in New York, New York.