Jim Ringo, 1931-2007
Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jim Ringo passed away early this morning after a short illness. He was two days shy of his 76th birthday.
“As Vince Lombardi once observed, Jim epitomized the toughness and determination needed to not only play the center position but to become one of the game’s most dominant offensive linemen of his era,” commented Steve Perry, the Hall’s President/Executive Director.
“On behalf of all of us at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s family,” continued Perry.
Ringo starred in the National Football League for 15 seasons after the Green Bay Packers selected him out of Syracuse in the seventh round of the 1953 draft. He played for the Packers from 1953- 1963 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1964-67. He overcame numerous injuries to start in a then-record 182 consecutive games from 1954 to 1967. In all, Ringo earned All-NFL acclaim seven times, voted to 10 Pro Bowls, and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
Pro football pioneer and Hall of Famer Bill Willis dead at 86
Willis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 1977.
40,000-yard passers
Peyton Manning became the 11th quarterback in NFL history to pass for 40,000 yards.