Forrest Gregg

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Gregg played mostly at right tackle and also filled in at guard. He earned an 'iron man' tag by playing in a then-league record 188 consecutive games from 1956 to 1971. He won All-NFL honors for eight straight years (1960–1967) and nine Pro Bowl selections. He wore number 75 for 15 seasons in Green Bay and number 79 for his final season in Dallas. It has been reported that Vince Lombardi said, 'Forrest Gregg is the finest player I ever coached!' but official Packers historian Cliff Christl can find no evidence of Lombardi ever saying or writing that.

In Their Own Story

The frozen turf at Lambeau Field crunched underfoot, treacherous despite the heaters' efforts to thaw it hours before kickoff. The clock ticked down in the 1967 Ice Bowl, but Forrest didn't shiver; he stood tall against the defensive rush, his breath pluming in the frigid air. He locked eyes with the opposing lineman, not with fear, but with the cold calculation of a man who had weathered storms since '56. A hand signal from Lombardi on the sideline was all it took. Gregg surged forward, his massive frame absorbing the impact and driving the defender back into the snow. The pocket held. Bart Starr dropped back. In that frozen moment, Forrest Gregg wasn't just a tackle; he was the immovable object that made history possible.

Reader's Guide

Gregg was head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 1980 to 1983. His most successful season was 1981, when he led the Bengals to a 12–4 record, an AFC championship win over the San Diego Chargers (27–7 in the Freezer Bowl), and a Super Bowl XVI loss to the San Francisco 49ers (26–21). He later coached the Green Bay Packers from 1984 to 1987 with a 25–37–1 record. His overall NFL coaching record was 75–85–1, with a 2–2 playoff record (all with the Bengals). He is one of only two coaches to leave the Bengals with a winning record.

Did You Know?

• Gregg played on six NFL title teams, a feat matched only by Fuzzy Thurston and Tom Brady according to the source.
• He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1977.
• Gregg was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in October 2011, thought to be caused by concussions from playing football.
• He died on April 12, 2019, at age 85 due to complications from Parkinson's disease.