Remembering Former Packers' Great John Brockington

When you think of great Green Bay Packers' running backs, you probably think of Hall-of-Famers Paul Hornung or Jim Taylor ... and probably don't think of fullback John Brockington.

That's a mistake.

The Packers' first-round draft choice in 1971, he was the first  NFL player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. He also set an NFL rookie rushing record and was named to three Pro Bowls his first three seasons.

Sadly, Brockington passed away Friday in San Diego, Cal., at the age of 74. His death was announced by the Packers, with no cause revealed.

"One of the great runners of his era," Packers' president/CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement, " 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 ... He leaves a wonderful legacy."

Brockington was the Packers' first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 1971 NFL draft and immediately made an impact. With rare speed (4.39 in the 40) for a player of his size (6-1, 225 pounds), Brockington gained an NFC-leading 1,105 yards his first year -- averaging 5.1 yards a carry -- and won all Rookie-of-the- Year awards.

He was also a consensus first-team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl.

His yards rushing not only set an NFL rookie record; they made him,  at the time, one of only four players to gain 1,000 or more yards in their initial seasons. The others were Cookie Gilchrist, Paul Robinson and Beattie Feathers.

"He's as fine a back as I've seen", said Vikings' coach Bud Grant in 1971, "He makes a lot of yards on his own, bouncing off people."

Bears' tough guy defensive end Ed O'Bradovich concurred.

"One man is not going to bring him down," he said. "You've got to gang tackle him."

The following season the Brockington-led Packers won the NFC Central Division, going 10-4, and reached the playoffs for the first time since 1967 (they would not go again until 10 years later).

Brockington was a principal reason. He gained over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, was named to his second Pro Bowl and was a second-team choice on the Players' All-Pro team (NEA).

He also led the league with 309 touches.

In 1973, his 1,144 yards rushing not only topped the NFC but made him the first player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. Only league MVP and Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson outgained him that season.

The NEA named Brockington first-team All-Pro, and he was voted to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive year.

To prevent him from jumping to the rival World Football League the Packers gave Brockington a lucrative contract before the 1974 season, reportedly one that included a $450,000 signing bonus and $150,000 salary.

He responded by gaining 883 yards and caught a career-high 43 passes -- a total of 1,197 yards from scrimmage, just under the 1,200-yard mark he had in each of his first three seasons.

That was good. What happened afterward was not.

Packers' coach Dan Devine was fired, replaced by former quarterback Bart Starr and a new coaching staff, and the change directly affected Brockington.

First, there was the loss of his blocking back, MacArthur Lane. He was traded. Then there was the absence of guard Gale Gillingham. He sat out the entire 1975 season, one of several key losses in the offensive line. But the worst move, according to Brockington, was the change in offensive philosophy.

Instead of running his favorite off-tackle plays, Brockington told author Jerry Poling he was asked to run outside and choose a hole -- essentially, to be an East-West runner ... which he wasn't ... instead of a North-South back ... which he was.

"I'm a slasher," he said earlier in his career. "I go inside and rely on my weight to break tackles." 

He broke few in his last two years, gaining just 865 yards -- fewer than his least productive season prior to 1975. Released early in 1977, he finished his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, taking an injured MacArthur Lane's roster spot.

Brockington played seven years with the Packers, producing 13 100-yard rushing games (though only one after 1974) and finishing his career there as the franchise's second-leading rusher.

Inducted into the Packers' Hall of Fame in 1984, he still ranks fourth on the club's career rushing list.

John Stanley Brockington was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and played football at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood. As a senior, he led his school to the city championship, ran for over 1,000 yards was a 1965 All-City choice and was named to Scholastic Magazine's High School 95-man All-American team.

His coach, Moe Finkelstein, convinced Ohio State's Woody Hayes to take a look, and Hayes, in turn, convinced Brockington to join him in Columbus. It wasn't hard. Ohio State had a vaunted running game, and Brocking could slash his way into the history books there.

Which he did.

He was part of one consensus national championship team (1968) and two others (1969 and '70) that reached the top in non-media polls. In his senior season (1970), he set single-season team records for rushing attempts (261), rushing yards (1,142) and rushing touchdowns (17). He also ran the ball 42 times in one game versus Northwestern, also a team record (since broken).

He played on a Rose Bowl-winning team in 1968, beating USC on New Year's Day, 1969, and started in another in January, 1971, losing to Stanford.

Brockington was later named to Ohio State’s All-Century team for the 20th century and inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.