1962 NFL Team Photos

In this episode, we talk about some football history from the 1960s with a peak at part of my collection containing the 1962 Tang NFL Team Photos. We have an image of each of the 14 NFL teams, and some information that drips of historical significance.

In my late teens, my Aunt Darlene, an avid rummage and garage sale attendee, came to visit and brought me a treasured gift she had picked up during one of her Saturday morning neighborhood exploits. My prize was a plain manilla postal envelope with a name and address that I did not recognize. I opened it and found 14 color photos of NFL teams from some bygone era of pro football. Each image had the squad picture and, below it, the team name, an old logo, and the names of those in the photograph above. The back of the photo was blank.

These images were fantastic to look at but were not significant to me at that point in time because it was an incomplete collection of 14 teams. The NFL I knew growing up had 26 franchises, which increased by two in the mid-1970s when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League fray. What I know now and was naive to then made me gain a whole new appreciation for the gift I had gotten from my dear Aunt so many years ago.

The Tang promotion back in '62 encouraged fans to send in an undetermined amout of proof of purchase labels from the Tang jars, and the sum of $0.50 U.S. and they would receive the package of all 14 franchise photos.

Here is how the teams finished in the 1962 Season:

The vivid images of each NFL team from 1962 is still eye popping on these 60-year-old photos. Here are the teams from the NFL West Division in their order of finish in 1962:

The Green Bay Packers were the NFL Champions in 1962 under Head Coach Vince Lombardi. Legendary players Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Tom Moore, Jim Taylor, Ron Kramer, Jim Ringo, Jerry Kramer,  Forrest Gregg,  Bill Forester, Willie Wood,  Willie Davis, Max Magee, and others were on the star studded roster.

The Detroit Lions of 1962 were loaded with talent too. Note that their Defensive Coordinator was Don Shula and Assistant Ray McLean. They had playing legends like Yale Lary, Earll Morrall, Harley Sewell, Alex Karras, Roger Brown, Dick Night Train Lane, Dick LeBeau, Harlon Hill, and more.

The Chicago Bears were a formidable group in 1962 too. On the roster of Head Coach George Halas were legends Assistant Coach George Allen and players such as like Mike Ditka, Billy Wade, Richie Petitbon, Doug Atkins, and more.

The '62 Baltimore Colts were a few years removed from a Championship but they stillhad some big names in the team photo like Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Jim Parker, Gino Marchetti, Billy Ray Smith, Don Shinnick, Jerry Hill and more with Head Coach Weeb Ewbank.

The 1962 San Francisco 49ers had some outstanding assistant coaches in Jack Christiansen and Bill Johnson. The roster had brilliant names like John Brodie, Billy Kilmer, J.D. Smith, Jimmy Johnson, Leo Nomellini, Charlie Krueger, Matt Hazeltine, Abe Woodson and more.

The Minnesota Vikings were still getting their feet wet as an NFL franchise in 1962 but names of note in the team pic are Head Coach  Norm Van Brocklin, Assistant Coach Harry Gilmer, QB Fran Tarkenton, Tommy Mason, Mick Tingelhoff, Jim Marshall, Mel Triplett, and more.

The 1962 edition of the Los Angeles Rams of Head Coach Bob Waterfield included some brilliant names in pro football lore. Jack Pardee, Deacon Jones, Roman Gabriel, Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen, and more.

Likewise here are the images of the teams from the NFL East Division in their order of finish in 1962:

The New York Football Giants big stars of the 1962 season included Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, Del Schofner, Rosey Brown, Joe Walton, Alex Webster, Jim Katcavage, Rosey Grier, Andy Robustelli, Sam Huff, Jimmy Patton, Dick Modzelewski, and more.

Head Coach Buddy Parker led his Pittsburgh Steelers to one of their better records in franchise history up to that point. Buster Ramsey was the defensive coordinator. The roster had some big name players too like Ernie Stautner, John Henry Johnson, Bobby Layne, Buddy Dial, Big Daddy Lipscomb, and more.

The 1962 Cleveland Browns under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Paul Brown. Also on the coaching staff was Blanton Collier, Howard Brinker, and Dick Evans. The roster was loaded too with names such as Jim Brown, Ray Renfro, Bill Glass, Paul Wiggin, Lou Groza, Jim Ray Smith, and more.

The 1962 Washington Redskins had some great assistant coaches on staff in Ted Marchibroda, Ray Willsey, and Abe Gibron. The roster had the talents of names like George Izo, Gorden Kelley, Bobby Mitchell, Norm Snead, Bob Pellegrini, and others.

The 1962 Dallas Cowboys of Head Coach Tom Landry were just starting to put some magic together. Don Meredith, Don Perkins, Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, Dick Nolan, and others filled out the roster of the team that season.

The St. Louis Cardinals Football team in 1962 had a few star attractions on the roster as well. John David Crow, Sonny Randle, Larry Wilson, and Jimmy Hill were a few of the players we may recognize today.

The 1962 Philadelphia Eagles were composed of stalwarts like Sonny Jurgensen, Tommy McDonald, Irv Cross, Jimmy Carr, Maxie Baughan, and Chuck Bednarik among others.

Here is a collection of posts we have found that add to and enhance our subject matter above. We all love a great and complete story!

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