Bo knows at least 4 Packer Hall of Famers switched from offense to defense too

While intriguing, the Packers’ decision to move wide receiver Bo Melton to cornerback this season is certainly not unprecedented.

In fact, at least four NFL Hall of Famers who earned their Hall of Fame enshrinement on defense came to the Packers as offensive players.

Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Willie Wood and Dave Robinson made their way to Green Bay as offensive players, and all four enjoyed long, stellar careers on the other side of the ball.

Another Lombardi great, Bob Jeter, was drafted as a running back. He even earned All American honors as a halfback at the University of Iowa, set a Rose Bowl rushing yards record, and played two years in the Canadian Football League at that position. When he came to the Packers in 1961, Jeter played running back for one season, and wide receiver for the next two.

In 1965, Packer defensive coordinator Phil Bengston and Coach Lombardi moved Jeter to defense and, for the next five seasons, he and Herb Adderley formed what many believe was the best cornerback duo in NFL history. 

As I’ve written about before, Adderley found out at halftime of a nationally televised game that he would be going in as a cornerback, a position he had not played before. He ended up making an interception that led to the winning touchdown. Though he continued practicing with the offense that season, Adderley moved to cornerback permanently the following year. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame at that position in 1980.

According to Robinson, both athleticism and pragmatics led to the players’ ability to adjust so easily to the position shifts.

“I had a wife who was pregnant with twins,” he said. “So, I said I’m going to make this team. Anything they told me they wanted me to be, I was going to show up. If they told me they wanted me to be the water boy, I was going to do it.”

The move to linebacker happened seamlessly for Robinson, who had gone both ways as a tight end and defensive end at Penn State. According to him, collegiate defensive end and NFL linebacker were similar positions back then, particularly in the Penn State scheme. 

Robinson, a high school basketball star, was also a gifted athlete. He proved to be so flexible that he played three different positions during practices for the college All-Star game.

“When you’re in the All-Star game, the team that drafted you can call down and tell them what position they want you to play,” he said. “So, I started out as tight end, but (Packer tight end) Marv Fleming had a really good scrimmage at tight end and the Packers already had Ron Kramer. They didn’t need a third string tight end, so they switched me to defensive end. Well, (Packer defensive end) Lionel Aldridge had a great scrimmage at defensive end, so they moved me to linebacker.”

Beyond that flexibility, Robinson had a secret coach. Packer starting linebacker Bill Forester wanted to retire following the 1962 season, but Coach Lombardi talked him into playing one more year because he didn’t think he had anyone to replace him. A defensive captain, Forester had earned All-Pro honors five times and played in four Pro Bowls. Beyond football, though, Forester was a family man and he really wanted to spend more time with his wife Ann and their three kids.

Having seen Robinson play, Forester took him aside.

“He said, ‘You’re my ticket out of here. I’m going to teach you everything I know. If I have to cut your head open and pour that knowledge into you, I’m going to teach you how to play linebacker,” Robinson said.

The two conferred during practices and even met after hours.

“At night, I would come down the back steps, which was illegal at the time and could have cost me a $1,000 fine if I’d have been caught,” Robinson said. “I’d go to Forester’s room, and he and I would go over the defense. We did that on the field too, but at night he wouldn’t just tell me where to go, he’d tell me why I want you here, and why you go there and what to look for and how to play all those defenses. And then he’d tell me I looked good in scrimmages.”

The lessons took. Along with Ray Nitschke and Lee Roy Caffey, Robinson formed one of the greatest linebacking trios in NFL history. Robinson was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2013.

Few remember that Willie Davis began his NFL career as an offensive lineman. As a rookie on the Cleveland Browns, Willie played tackle ahead of the speedy Jim Brown.

His sophomore season, Davis ran into trouble.

“Jim Brown had to hold up to wait for a block from Willie, and (Cleveland Coach) Paul Brown cut him after that,” Robinson said.

The Packers picked Davis up, reportedly at another NFL Hall of Famer’s urging.

“Henry Jordan and Willie were already friends (because Jordan began his career in Cleveland too) and Henry knew Willie could play defensive end” Robinson said. “So, he went to Coach Lombardi and said he should pick Willie up and play him at end.”

The coach listened, and Davis switched both teams and positions. Along with Jordan, Davis anchored the Packer defensive line for 10 seasons. In 1981, Willie Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Henry Jordan earned his Hall of Fame induction in 1995).

Another Packer defensive great went undrafted despite a stellar collegiate career as a quarterback at USC. Willie Wood wrote letters to various NFL teams asking for a tryout.

“When Willie Wood came to the NFL, they said he threw the ball too hard to be an NFL quarterback,” Robinson said.

It may have been that the NFL was not ready for an African American quarterback in 1960. Coach Lombardi, however, read his letter, recognized Wood’s potential and signed him to the team, as a safety.

Wood played that position for the Packers for the next 11 years. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1989.

Bo Melton doesn’t have to look far for inspiration as he makes the switch from wide receiver to cornerback. He just needs to look up at the names enshrined in the ring of honor at Lambeau Field.