Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Firsts

Super Bowl LX will be played this weekend with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks fighting to be champions of the NFL. The Green Bay Packers have been to five Super Bowls and won four of them. Today, we look back at the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl firsts. That is, the first time the Packers accomplished any of these things in a Super Bowl.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Kick Return

The Packers received the opening kickoff of Super Bowl I. Future Hall of Fame cornerback Herb Adderley took the ball at the five-yard line and returned it 20 yards to the Green Bay 25. This was the very first play in Super Bowl history.

First Running Play

The first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history was also the first running play. Jim Taylor got the carry and gained four yards. He was tackled by Andy Rice of the Chiefs.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Pass Completion

Bart Starr threw the first pass in Super Bowl history, but it fell incomplete. It was intended for Max McGee. The Chiefs sacked Starr on the next two plays, thus recording the first sack in Super Bowl history. That ended the Packers first drive.

The first completed pass by the Packers came on the second play of their second possession. Starr found tight end Marv Fleming for an 11-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, Starr completed the first 20-plus yard pass in Super Bowl history, a 22-yard completion to running back Elijah Pitts.

First Punt

The Packers first drive in Super Bowl I ended with those back-to-back sacks. Don Chandler came on and made the first punt in Super Bowl history. The kick traveled 50 yards to the Chiefs 37. It was not returned. Chandler punted three times in the game and averaged 43.3 yards per kick. Donny Anderson also punted once for the Packers for 43 yards.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Receiving Touchdown and Overall Touchdown

The first touchdown in Packers history and the first ever receiving touchdown came on the Packers second drive of Super Bowl I. Starr finished the drive with a 37-yard touchdown pass to McGee who made a great catch. It gave the Packers a 6-0 lead.

First Extra Point:

Of course, after the first touchdown came the first extra point try. Chandler hit it midway through the first quarter and gave the Packers a 7-0 lead over the Chiefs.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Tackle

The first tackle made by the Packers defense came on Kansas City’s first offensive play. Running back Mike Garrett carried the ball and Packers defensive tackle Ron Kostelnik stopped him after he gained four yards. This was the first tackle in Packers Super Bowl history.

First Penalty:

The first penalty by the Packers in the Super Bowl came on the Chiefs second possession of Super Bowl I. Dawson attempted a pass to Chris Burford which fell incomplete. However, defensive back Bob Jeter was called for pass interference which resulted in a five-yard gain and automatic first down for the Chiefs.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Rushing Touchdown

The Chiefs tied Super Bowl I at 7-7 early in the second quarter. On the ensuring drive, the Packers answered with a time consuming 73-yard drive that gave them back the lead. Fittingly, the first rushing touchdown came on the power sweep, which was the signature offensive play of head coach Vince Lombardi. Taylor ran 14 yards for the score and the Packers led 14-7. It was a lead they would never relinquish.

First Interception:

The first Packers interception in Super Bowl history came early in the third quarter of the game. The Packers called for a rare blitz on a 3^rd-and-5 at the Kansas City 49. Dawson tried to throw to Fred Arbanas, but his pass was intercepted by future Hall of Famer Willie Wood. Wood returned the ball 50 yards to the Kansas City five. One play later, the Packers scored again to take a 21-10 lead. The interception changed the momentum of the game.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Interception Throw by a Packers QB

Starr threw the first Packers Super Bowl interception early in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl I. Starr tried to find McGee on a 2^nd-and-7 play at midfield. Willie Mitchell intercepted and the Chiefs took over at their own 11. The Packers led 28-10 at that point.

First 100-Yard Receiving Game

McGee recorded the first 100-yard receiving game in Super Bowl history. He caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Famously, McGee was out until 6 AM the night before the game with Paul Hornung, according to legend with two flight attendants. McGee didn’t expect to play much but when Boyd Dowler suffered an injury on the first drive of the game, McGee stepped in and had a great game.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Fumble Recovery

The Packers first fumble recovery in Super Bowl history came in Super Bowl II in the final minute of the first half. Chandler punted and it was dropped by Rodger Bird of the Raiders. Dick Capp fell on the loose ball at the Oakland 45. That led to a 43-yard field goal by Chandler that gave the Packers a 16-7 lead at halftime. The play changed the momentum of the game and gave the Packers a two-score advantage at the half.

First Defensive Touchdown:

The Packers first defensive touchdown came in Super Bowl II. Adderley closed out the scoring for the Packers by intercepting a Darryle Lamonica pass intended for Fred Biletnikoff. Adderley returned the pick 60 yards for the first defensive touchdown in Super Bowl history.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First 100-Yard Rusher

The Packers have yet to have a 100-yard rusher in the Super Bowl.

First Special Teams Touchdown

The first special teams touchdown by a Packers player came in Super Bowl XXXI when Desmond Howard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter. The Patriots had just scored to pull to within six points and Howard’s return was a back breaker.

Howard earned MVP honors and to this day remains the only special teams player to be named Super Bowl MVP.

Packers Super Bowl Firsts: First Two-Point Conversion

The first Packers two-point conversion in the Super Bowl came right after Howard’s kick return for a touchdown. Brett Favre found tight end Mark Chmura in the end zone for two points. That put the Packers ahead 35-21 and closed out the scoring in the game.

First Quarterback Rushing Touchdown

The Packers first rushing touchdown by a quarterback also came in Super Bowl XXXI. It came late in the second quarter when Favre ran two yards around end for a touchdown. He reached out and got the ball across the plain of the goal line before he ran out of bounds. That put the Packers ahead 27-14 at the half.