GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers have announced that John Brockington, a member of the Packers Hall of Fame and the first NFL player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, passed away in San Diego at age 74.
Brockington, a native of Brooklyn, NY, was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1971 after being drafted ninth overall out of Ohio State. He made three Pro Bowls from 1971-1973 and reached first team All-Pro twice in ’71 & ’73.
In an article on Packers.com, former Packers’ starting LG Bill Lueck described Brockington as “the toughest, hardest hitting running back that I knew;” adding that he used to joke with teammates about how “‘Nobody wants to be the first guy to make contact with John Brockington.'”
After retirement, he created the ‘John Brockington Foundation‘ to help people afflicted with kidney disease by providing resources, spreading awareness, raising funds and medical screenings. This was inspired by his own experience in 2002, when his future wife gave him a kidney.
Brockington became a member of the Packers Hall of Fame in 1984.
“The Packers family was saddened to hear about the passing of John,” Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy stated on the team’s websiteJ. “One of the great runners of his era, John was an exciting player to watch with his powerful running style. Fans enthusiastically welcomed John back to Lambeau Field over the years, fondly remembering the 1972 division championship as well as the bright spots he provided in the less-successful seasons.
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