1. Jerry Kramer, G
Without a doubt the biggest Hall of Fame snub in history, Packers right guard Jerry Kramer is the only member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team not to be in the Hall of Fame. The 3-time Pro Bowler and 6-time All-Pro was one of Vince Lombardi’s offensive maulers that led the way for Bart Starr, Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor to impose their will on opposing defenses, on their way to winning 5 NFL Championships in seven years – including the first two Superbowls and the famous Ice Bowl.
He was also a placekicker – helping the team win the 1962 NFL championship with 3 FGs and an extra point to help the Packers win 16-7.
In the 1967 NFL Championship, nicknamed the Ice Bowl because it was the coldest game in NFL history, Kramer was the lead blocker for Starr’s game-winning touchdown plunge that won the game and allowed coach Vince Lombardi to go out as a winner in Green Bay.
Kramer personified what Vince Lombardi desired more in a player than almost any other player he coached. And for a league that names it’s greatest prize after said coach, it is almost insulting not to have one of his greatest players in the Hall of Fame. He has been a finalist a record 9-times but has never gotten into the Hall. If Kramer doesn’t deserve to get in for his role in NFL history, how can anyone else in the modern era?
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