Max Magee

Our journey through football history lands us at the story of a Super Bowl hero.  As a matter of fact a hero of the first game that earned the name Super Bowl and that player is an end from the Green Bay Packers, Number 85, Max Magee.

Who was Max Magee?

The name of Max Magee to any football fan probably stirs images of what is now called Super Bowl I (then referred to as the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game) as he and his Green Bay Packers teammates dismantled the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.

Magee had a magnificent game for an end in that era of run the ball smash-mouth football. In that game Magee caught 7 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. There is a pretty interesting backstory to this game that we will get to in a little bit. Before we do let’s get into the playing career of Magee before this big game.

William Max McGee was born in 1932 and raised in the small town of White Oak, Texas, which is in the oil region in the northeastern section of the Lone Star State.  Max was the youngest of six children in a family of five boys and one girl born to Robert Lee and Beatrice Parks McGee.

The Magee boys were all gifted athletes, and Max followed his older siblings to become one of the stars of the local White Oak High School football team. According to an SI.com article on Magee his brother Coy McGee (6 years Max’s elder),played four years at Notre Dame and was a reserve halfback on coach Frank Leahy’s teams from 1946-48, including the '46 team that is regarded as one of the best teams in college football history. As a matter of fact ole Coy came off the bench to lead the Irish to a season finale victory over Southern Cal and had 2 TDs and 146 yards rushing to help Notre Dame claim the National Title. Some pretty good stock for Max to come from wouldn’t you say?

Max was a gridiron high school stud himself. Max’s senior season at White Oak he became the first rusher in history according to the NFHS to eclipse 3000 career rushing yards when he posted 3048 at the end of his scholastic gridiron journey. Now that was back in 1949, and since then there are less than 90 players in high school that have accomplished the feat to this very day.

These numbers earned Max a scholarship offer from Tulane University and he gladly accepted. The offer was a good investment too as Max not only led the school in rushing for three straight seasons but took on much of the kick return and punting duties as well during his time there.

The Green Bay Packers used their fifth round pick in the 1954 NFL Draft to select the talented player to their squad. After a season with the Pack he joined the US Air Force, where he took part in their early drone flying program, and after a two year stint he returned to NFL to play ball in Green Bay. Max had a marriage occur in that time where he had two daughters, but unfortunately the marriage did not last nuch after that.

Max then concentrated on football and had an eleven year run with the Packers. After the first two dismal seasons, Coach Vince Lombardi took over and made Max Magee an offensive weapon in lieu to five NFL titles. In the six seasons from 1959-64, McGee, caught 238 passes for 31 scores. As we said earlier Magee was also part of the first two Super Bowls, but we will get to that story in just a moment…

Super Bowl I Preparations?

By the time Super Bowl I had arrived, Magee was a bit long in the tooth by pro football standards. A younger faster player, named Boyd Dowler had replaced him as the starting end. Since Magee’s divorce he had become somewhat of a playboy, often having a drink out with the fellas after a game of practice and was known to flirt with the young ladies as well.

On the even of Super Bowl I the story goes that Max, thinking he would be riding pine during the next day’s game, would enjoy himself in a night out on the town. I am talking really enjoying himself as he met two fight attendants on a lay over and partied with them all night, returning to the team hotel about 6:30am. In fact he passed eventual MVP of the game Bart Starr in the hotel corridor as he was going down for breakfast! Max caught a couple of Z’s and then was awoken to get ready to head to the team bus for the game. Slightly hungover and tired Magee went through the motions of a football player. He was so confident that he would not play that according to a story on The Sporting News, the veteran end even forgot his helmet in the locker room.

He was quickly awoken to reality when Dowler re-injured a nagging shoulder on the third play from scrimmage and Magee was thrust into the contest. I am sure teammates, knowing his condition had to be shaking their heads by now. He had to borrow a helmet from a teammate and then ran onto the field to make football history.

Magee had the game of his life with those 7 receptions and 2 touchdowns, including the first touchdown scored in Super Bowl History. He could have been named the game’s MVP had they not given it to his quarterback.

Magee was on the roster the next season when the Packers won Super Bowl II as well. During his illustrious NFL career he caught 50 balls for touchdowns on 342 receptions and over 6200 yards. Pretty strong numbers for an end in the era he played in. After he hung up his cleats he still stayed pretty successful as he was a co-founder of the Mexican themed restaurant chain Chi Chi’s. 

He was also inducted to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame for his superior play on the gridiron.

The banner photo is of McDowell High School's Dave hanlin Field in Erie, PA

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites mentioned above including the Football Zebras and Fields of Friendly Strife as well asn the Whistle Museum.