Henry Jordan

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jordan was born in Emporia, Virginia, and graduated from Warwick High School in Newport News in 1953. He attended the University of Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in commerce in 1957, was a Dean's list student, vice-president of his graduating class, and Distinguished Military Student of 1957. He was captain of the football team as a senior, All-State and All-ACC, and an All-American wrestler in 1957. He was selected 52nd overall in the 1957 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, played two seasons without starting, then was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1959. He played for the Packers from 1959 to 1969, starting in all 12 games in 1959 at right defensive tackle. He was part of five championship teams (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967) and the first two Super Bowl victories. He retired after the 1969 season due to injuries. He died at age 42 of a heart attack after jogging on February 21, 1977.

In Their Own Story

The air at Lambeau Field hung heavy with the scent of frozen grass and anticipation. It was December 1967, and while the Ice Bowl looms large in memory, this moment captured the relentless grind of a regular-season battle against a desperate opponent. Henry Jordan crouched low over the line, his breath pluming in the Wisconsin chill like steam from a locomotive. He didn't need to shout; his eyes locked onto the center's stance, dissecting the micro-movements that would signal the play. When the ball snapped, the world narrowed down to the collision of bodies. Jordan exploded forward, his massive frame absorbing the double-team and driving it backward with terrifying ease. The quarterback scrambled, but Jordan had already collapsed the pocket—a silent storm in the middle of the chaos. He didn't celebrate; he simply reset, dusted off his gloves, and waited for the next snap. To the fans, he was a hero; to the opposition, he was an immovable object that refused to yield ground.

Reader's Guide

Jordan was elected to four Pro Bowls (1960, 1961, 1963, 1966) and was Pro Bowl MVP in 1961. He was All-NFL six times. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1974, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1975, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame posthumously in 1995. The Warwick High School athletics field was named in his honor in 2000. In May 2009, he was named to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame.

Did You Know?

• Jordan was an All-American wrestler in 1957, the first in University of Virginia history.
• He was the ACC champion in wrestling in 1957 in the unlimited weight division and NCAA runner-up.
• His most notable quip: 'Lombardi treats us all the same, like dogs.'
• After retiring, Jordan relocated to Milwaukee to create and oversee Summerfest.