I saw a Twitter poll that offered voters the choice between Aaron Rodgers or Brett Favre as the greatest quarterback in Packer history.
I voted for Bart Starr.
My sister Kathy liked my tweet.
We are ardent Packer fans and have been attending games together even before the historic Favre and Rodgers 30-year run.
We know how lucky we are to have witnessed such greatness on the football field, including Super Bowl wins in New Orleans and Dallas. We are grateful to both players for their three-decade (and counting!) streak.
But, nobody has represented our team with more integrity and dedication than Mr. Starr.
Statistically, good ole Number 15’s post-season passer rating of 104.8 is still the highest in NFL history. He won three straight NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls. No other quarterback has won three straight titles.
You can watch game film of him sliding around in his ineffective cleats during the Ice Bowl, but you will never find evidence of him slipping up off the field.
Not once.
As impressive as his legacy as an athlete is, his legacy as a man transcends it.
I have written before about my own encounters with the man who treated me and everyone else I know with humility and kindness.
He honored every commitment he made, married his high school sweetheart in 1954 and loved her fiercely until the day he died, 65 years later.
Together, among a long list of other charities they supported, they founded the Rawhide Boys Ranch, a residential treatment and counseling center for young people that has expanded both its reach and the scope of its services in the 55 years since.
They did not just lend their name to the Ranch, they participated in many aspects of its operation and growth..
In fact, at 88-years old. Cherry remains very actively involved with Rawhide.
Here’s one last Bart Starr statistics that will be difficult for any NFL quarterback to top:
In his 63-year professional association with the team, he never said a bad word about anyone associated with it.
So, I really hope the next time you find yourself in a water cooler discussion or a Twitter poll about Green Bay’s greatest quarterback, you join me in recognizing that No. 15 is No. 1.
I wholehearted agree with you, Laura. Mr. Starr was my idol growing up. Throughout my high school team sports, given the choice, I would always choose 15 as my number. His demeanour on the field showed confidence, and one could see the respect he received from his teammates. It wasn’t until the internet age that I read the amazing things he and Cherry did for the community and beyond, this during his playing years and well into retirement. They way they lived their lives – be kind and respect everyone, are the epitome of what everyone of us should strive to be. Brett & Aaron are definitely names in the conversation, but my choice without a doubt is number 15.
I was also asked the question by my kids recently about the better quarterback, Favre or Rodgers and my answer was also Bart Starr! The teams he led, which I grew up with, nurtured my continuing love of football!