The First America's Team

Book excerpt: The 1962 Green Bay Packers are still considered one of the most successful teams in the history of the National Football League. This book examines how the team was built, exploring how four of the five assistants on Lombardi’s coaching staff went on to become head coaches. The team was rich with personalities, from the glamour-conscious Hourning to the emotional Nitschke to the determined Starr. Of course, the strongest personality of all was Lombardi, who shaped these many unique individuals and talents into a team that changed the game forever. The Packers of this era won five championships in seven years, including the first two Super Bowls, creating a dynasty in the smallest market in professional sports. Despite playing in little Green Bay, the players on Lombardi's team became national heroes.