GREEN BAY, Wis. (WRN) — A Packers great who bridged the Lambeau and Lombardi eras in Green Bay has died.
Billy Howton joined the Packers in 1952 and become the first NFL rookie with a 1,000-yard receiving season. The two-time All-Pro scored the first touchdown at what is now Lambeau Field and still holds the Packers’ record for most receiving yards in a game.
In 1958, Howton was named the first president of the NFL Players Association. After seven years in Green Bay, Howton played for the Cleveland Browns and the inaugural Dallas Cowboys team of 1960. He retired from the Cowboys in 1963 and was elected to the Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.
Billy Howton died last week in Houston, Texas at age 95.