Vince Lombardi
Legendary head coach of the Green Bay Packers, winner of five NFL Championships and the first two Super Bowls.
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American professional football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight and five total NFL Championships in seven years, in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1966 and 1967 NFL seasons. Lombardi never had a losing season as head coach in the NFL, compiling a regular-season winning percentage of 73.8% (96–34–6) and 90% (9–1) in the postseason. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL Super Bowl trophy was named in his honor.
- Role
- Head Coach (Opposing Team)
- Affiliation
- Green Bay Packers
- Era
- Late 1950s to Mid 1960s
- Status
- Deceased / Hall of Famer
- Notable Achievement
- Super Bowl I & II Champion Coach
Lore & Background
Lombardi was born on June 11, 1913, in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn to Enrico 'Harry' Lombardi and Matilda 'Mattie' Izzo, both from Southern Italy. He was the oldest of five children. He attended Cathedral Preparatory Seminary and later St. Francis Preparatory high school. He received a football scholarship to Fordham University, where he played as a guard and was part of the 'Seven Blocks of Granite.' After graduating in 1937, he briefly tried semi-professional football and worked as a debt collector before enrolling in Fordham Law School, which he left after one semester. He began his coaching career at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey, first as an assistant and later as head coach. He then served as an assistant coach at Fordham University and at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point under Earl 'Colonel Red' Blaik. He was head coach and general manager for the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967 and for the Washington Redskins from 1969 until his death from cancer during the 1970 preseason.
In Their Own Story
The wind howled across Soldier Field in December. George Halas stood on the sideline, hands deep in his coat pockets, watching the opposing formation. Across the line, Vince Lombardi adjusted his cap, eyes locked on the defense. The crowd roared as the ball was snapped, a moment frozen in time between two titans of the game.
Reader's Guide
Lombardi's coaching philosophy was shaped by his time at West Point, where he combined his spiritual discipline with the military discipline of head coach Earl Blaik. Blaik's emphasis on execution became a trademark of Lombardi's coaching style. Lombardi never had a losing season as an NFL head coach, with an overall record of 105 wins, 35 losses, and 6 ties. He is considered by many to be among the greatest coaches and leaders in American sports.
Did You Know?
- Lombardi served as an altar boy at St. Mark Catholic Church in his childhood.
- He graduated from Fordham University on June 16, 1937.
- In 1943, St. Cecilia's, where Lombardi was head coach, was recognized as the top high school football team in the nation.
- Lombardi won six state private school championships (NJISAA) as head coach at St. Cecilia High School.
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