Verne Lewellen dominated the early NFL gridiron and fueled a Green Bay Packers dynasty, yet he remains one of professional football’s biggest Hall of Fame snubs.
Football Bio
September 29, 1901 – Lincoln, Nebraska – Legendary Green Bay Packers running back and punter Verne Lewellen was born.
Verne may be one of the most unheralded players in American football history.
I think “snubbed” may be a better word, as this man’s significance should be recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Verne’s football career started with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he played quarterback during the early 1920s.
Lewellen made the headlines after he guided Nebraska over Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame squad, 14-7, in 1923.
Baseball may have been his better venture during college, as Verne was a top pitching prospect.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were ready to sign the young hurler until his pitching arm was injured in a train wreck in which Lewellen was a passenger.
Lewellen’s fate then turned to football when Curly Lambeau contacted Verne after a strong recommendation from former opponent Notre Dame back Jim Crowley.
Green Bay signed Verne, and he played from 1924 through 1932, including a three-year run of NFL Championships from 1929-31.
Verne was a punting specialist, and in that era the punt was considered more of a weapon than it is today, which may be why many modern historians do not vote for LeVellin’s Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Our guest Chris Willis, author of The NFL’s 60-Minute Men, said:
“Verne Lewellen, the Packers halfback, was pretty much the go-to guy for the Green Bay teams that won three straight championships in 1929, 1930, and 1931. Only Vince Lombardiβs Packers have ever matched that three-peat, yet Lewellen is still not in the Hall of Fame. In the front of my book, based on my research, I created retrospective MVP rankings. Lewellen would have won back-to-back MVPs in ’29 and ’30. To me, he’s a no-brainer. I’ve always liked his resume, and he ranks very high on that list.”
Conclusion
Verne Lewellen shaped the Green Bay Packers’ early success and set scoring records that stood for a decade. Fans and historians alike continue to champion his overdue induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame to properly honor his legacy.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- 3Γ NFL Champion (1929, 1930, 1931)
- 4Γ First-team All-Pro (1926, 1927, 1928, 1929)
- Second-team All-Pro (1925)
- First player in NFL history to reach 50 career touchdowns (held the all-time NFL touchdown record from 1929 to 1940)
- Inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1970
- Inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967
- Named to the Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA) Hall of Very Good Class of 2009
- Finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class of 2020
