The 1976 Green Bay Packers - 5-9 (4TH - Central Division)
Head Coach: Bart Starr
1976 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-4)
OFF DEF
JULY (0-1) RESULT RECORD ATT RSH PSS RSH PSS STARTING QB LEADING RUSHER LEADING PASSER LEADING RECEIVER
31 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS L 17-23 0- 1-0 50,245 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (24) Lynn Dickey (145) Eric Torkelson (3-49)
AUGUST (2-2)
7 M-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS W 10- 6 1- 1-0 53,421 Carlos Brown Willard Harrell (73) Don Milan (78) Jessie Green (2-32)
15 at New England Patriots W 16-14 2- 1-0 28,448 Carlos Brown Willard Harrell (55) Carlos Brown (148) Steve Odom (3-82)
20 at Buffalo Bills L 0-37 2- 2-0 33,706 Carlos Brown Willard Harrell (25) Carlos Brown (77) Ken Payne (2-150
28 G-NEW YORK GIANTS L 16-20 2- 3-0 56,267 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (54) Lynn Dickey (137) Willard Harrell (4-43)
SEPTEMBER (0-1)
3 M-ATLANTA FALCONS L 7-26 2- 4-0 54,989 Lynn Dickey John Brockington (27) Lynn Dickey (182) Eddie Beil (3-51)
1976 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
SEPTEMBER (0-3)
12 G-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-0) L 14-26 0- 1-0 54,628 125 102 210 104 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (43) Lynn Dickey (119) Willard Harrell (4-13)
19 at St. Louis Cardinals (1-0) L 0-29 0- 2-0 48,842 62 69 208 212 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (23) Lynn Dickey (104) Barty Smith (3-10)
26 at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) L 7-28 0- 3-0 44,103 71 -35 222 64 Lynn Dickey John Brockington (26) Lynn Dickey (45) Rich McGeorge (2-28)
OCTOBER (2-3)
3 G-DETROIT LIONS (1-2) W 24-14 1- 3-0 54,758 212 35 155 61 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (111) Willard Harrell (40) Steve Odom (2-45)
10 M-SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-5) W 27-20 2- 3-0 54,983 187 193 58 169 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (84) Lynn Dickey (215) Ken Payne (6-64)
17 G-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-3) W 28-13 3- 3-0 55,115 130 226 96 143 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (51) Lynn Dickey (226) Willard Harrell (3-91)
24 at Oakland Raiders (5-1) L 14-18 3- 4-0 52,232 108 264 115 161 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (41) Lynn Dickey (303) Ken Payne (6-120)
31 at Detroit Lions (3-4) L 6-27 3- 5-0 74,582 87 76 222 187 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (67) Lynn Dickey (93) Rich McGeorge (4-29)
NOVEMBER (1-3)
7 M-NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-7) W 32-27 4- 5-0 52,936 175 123 136 161 Lynn Dickey Willard Harrell (52) Lynn Dickey (138) Ken Payne (3-35)
14 at Chicago Bears (4-5) L 13-24 4- 6-0 52,907 82 179 202 47 Lynn Dickey John Brockington (71) Lynn Dickey (181) Steve Odom (6-92)
21 M-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-1-1) L 10-17 4- 7-0 53,104 146 82 100 151 Carlos Brown John Brockington (51) Carlos Brown (82) Ken Payne (3-29)
28 G-CHICAGO BEARS (5-6) L 10-16 4- 8-0 56,267 82 177 201 72 Carlos Brown Carlos Brown (22) Carlos Brown (125) Ollie Smith (4-121)
DECEMBER (1-1)
5 at Minnesota Vikings (9-2-1) L 9-20 4- 9-0 43,700 59 85 218 195 Carlos Brown John Brockington (27) Carlos Brown (93) Ollie Smith (4-47)
12 at Atlanta Falcons (4-9) W 24-20 5- 9-0 23,116 196 154 145 108 Randy Johnson John Brockington (89) Randy Johnson (165) Ollie Smith (5-91)
G - Green Bay M - Milwaukee * - Overtime
1976 IN REVIEW
The Packers of 1976 were a prime example of why Bart Starr had asked the fans for patience at his first press conference as head coach. Except for a four-game stretch in October, the team was nearly as ineffective as its counterparts from the year before. The team made a one-game improvement in its record (5-9), yet finished at the bottom of the NFC Central Division for a second year in a row. Offensively, the team dropped from 23rd to 26th, coming in ahead of only the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. Defensively, the team improved two notches to 14th overall, but allowed opponents to score more points in 1975. When the Packers generated more rushing yards than their opponents, they usually won. In all but one instance, the team with the most rushing yards emerged victorious. The lone exception, the Vikings, who slipped past the Packers 17-10 on November 21 despite being outrushed 146-100 yards.
THE 1976 SWINE FLU "EPIDEMIC"
During the last swine flu outbreak, in 1976, the government tried to convince every American to get vaccinated. And in Wisconsin, that effort included showing this public service announcement featuring Johnnie Gray and Steve Luke of the Packers. The swine flu outbreak, also known as the swine flu fiasco, or the swine flu debacle, was a strain of H1N1 influenza virus that appeared in 1976. Infections were only detected from January 19 to February 9, and were not found outside Fort Dix. The outbreak is most remembered for the mass immunization that it prompted in the United States. The strain itself killed one person and hospitalized 13. However, side-effects from the vaccine caused five hundred cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome and 25 deaths. The relatively benign disease outbreak and the vaccine reactions produced some political and sociological fallout.
The vaccination program have been attributed to the political climate associated with President Ford's re-election campaign in 1976.
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Ron Acks 57 LB 6- 2 225 Illinois 3 9 31 13 1974 FA-New England
Bert Askson 88 TE 6- 2 225 Texas Southern 2 4 30 14 1975 FA-NO (1973)
Bob Barber 70 DE 6- 3 240 Grambling 1 1 24 14 1976 Trade-Pittsburgh
David Beverly 11 P 6- 2 180 Auburn 2 3 26 14 1975 FA-Houston
John Brockington 42 RB 6- 1 225 Ohio State 6 6 27 14 1971 Draft-1st round
Carlos Brown 19 QB 6- 3 210 Pacific 2 2 24 13 1975 Draft-12th round
Willie Buchanon 28 CB 6- 0 190 San Diego State 5 5 25 14 1972 Draft-1st round
Jim Burrow 41 S 5-11 180 Nebraska 1 1 26 3 1976 Draft-8th round
Fred Carr 53 LB 6- 5 240 Texas-El Paso 9 9 30 14 1968 Draft-1st round
Lynn Dickey 10 QB 6- 4 210 Kansas State 1 5 26 10 1976 Trade-Houston
Dick Enderle 67 G 6- 2 250 Minnesota 1 8 28 3 1977 FA-San Francisco
Gale Gillingham 68 G 6- 3 265 Minnesota 10 10 32 14 1966 Draft-1st round
Johnnie Gray 24 S 5-11 185 Cal St-Fullerton 2 2 22 14 1975 FA
Jessie Green 86 WR 6- 2 185 Tulsa 1 1 22 1 1976 Draft-10th round
Jim Gueno 51 LB 6- 2 220 Tulane 1 1 22 14 1976 Draft-9th round
Charlie Hall 44 CB 6- 1 190 Pittsburgh 6 6 28 14 1971 Draft-3rd round
Don Hansen 58 LB 6- 2 220 Illinois 1 10 32 12 1976 Trade-Seattle
Willard Harrell 40 RB 5- 9 182 Pacific 2 2 23 13 1975 Draft-3rd round
Dick Himes 72 T 6- 4 260 Ohio State 9 9 30 14 1968 Draft-3rd round
Bob Hyland 55 C 6- 5 255 Boston College 4 11 31 14 1976 FA-Giants (1975)
Mel Jackson 71 G 6- 1 267 USC 1 1 22 13 1976 Draft-12th round
Randy Johnson 16 QB 6- 3 205 Texas A&I 1 10 32 3 1976 FA-Wash (1975)
Steve Knutson 60 T 6- 3 254 USC 1 1 24 12 1976 FA
Mark Koncar 79 T 6- 5 268 Colorado 1 1 23 14 1976 Draft-1st round
Bob Lally 58 LB 6- 2 230 Cornell 1 1 24 2 1976 FA
Steve Luke 46 DB 6- 2 205 Ohio State 2 2 22 14 1975 Draft-4th round
Chester Marcol 13 K 6- 0 190 Hillsdale 5 5 26 14 1972 Draft-2nd round
Larry McCarren 54 C 6- 3 248 Illinois 4 4 24 14 1973 Draft-12th round
Mike C. McCoy 29 CB 5-11 183 Colorado 1 1 23 14 1976 Draft-3rd round
Mike P. McCoy 76 DT 6- 5 275 Notre Dame 7 7 27 14 1970 Draft-1st round
Rich McGeorge 81 TE 6- 4 230 Elon 7 7 27 14 1970 Draft-1st round
Steve Odom 84 WR 5- 8 174 Utah 3 3 23 12 1974 Draft-5th round
Dave Osborn 41 RB 6- 0 208 North Dakota 1 12 33 6 1976 FA-Minn (1975)
Ken Payne 85 WR 6- 1 185 Langston 3 3 25 14 1974 Draft-6th round
Tom Perko 56 LB 6- 3 233 Pittsburgh 1 1 22 14 1976 Draft-4th round
Dave Pureifory 75 DE 6- 1 255 E. Michigan 5 5 27 14 1972 Draft-6th round
Alden Roche 87 DE 6- 4 255 Southern 6 7 31 14 1971 Trade-Denver
Dave Roller 74 DT 6- 2 270 Kentucky 2 3 26 14 1975 FA-S. Cal (WFL)
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Barty Smith 33 FB 6- 3 240 Richmond 3 3 24 8 1974 Draft-1st round
Ollie Smith 89 WR 6- 3 200 Tennessee State 1 3 27 13 1976 Trade-Oakland
Perry Smith 45 CB 6- 1 195 Colorado State 4 4 25 13 1973 FA-Oakland
Ken Starch 32 RB 5-11 219 Wisconsin 1 1 22 6 1976 FA
Cliff Taylor 27 RB 6- 0 195 Memphis State 1 2 24 7 1976 FA-Chi (1974)
Tom Toner 59 LB 6- 3 235 Idaho State 3 3 26 11 1973 Draft-6th round
Eric Torkelson 26 RB 6- 2 194 Connecticut 3 3 24 14 1974 Draft-11th round
Bruce Van Dyke 61 G 6- 2 255 Missouri 3 11 32 14 1974 Trade-Pittsburgh
Steve Wagner 21 S 6- 2 208 Wisconsin 1 1 22 11 1976 FA
Gary Weaver 52 LB 6- 1 225 Fresno State 2 4 27 14 1975 FA-Oak (1974)
Clarence Williams 83 DE 6- 5 255 Prairie View 7 7 29 14 1970 Trade-Dallas
Don Zimmerman 80 WR 6- 3 195 NE Louisiana 1 4 26 2 1976 Trade-Phil
NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent
1976 PACKERS DRAFT (April 8-9, 1976)
RND-PCK NAME POS COLLEGE
1a 8 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade
1b 23 Mark Koncar (A) OT Colorado
2 39 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade
3a 70 Traded to Pittsburgh in Bruce Van Dyke trade
3b 72 Mike C. McCoy (B) DB Colorado
4a 101 Tom Perko LB Pittsburgh
4b 117 Traded to Houston in Lynn Dickey trade (C)
5 132 Aundra Thompson RB East Texas State
6 166 Traded to Houston in Paul Robinson trade
7 192 Traded to Cincinnati in Pat Matson trade
8 218 Jim Burrow DB Nebraska
9 245 Jim Gueno LB Tulane
10 274 Jessie Green WR Tulsa
11 301 Curtis Leak WR Johnson C. Smith
12 328 Mel Jackson OG USC
13 355 Bradley Bowman DB S. Mississippi
14 386 John Henson RB Cal Poly-SLO
15 413 Jerry Dandridge LB Memphis State
16 440 Mike Timmermans OG Northern Iowa
17 467 Ray Hall TE Cal Poly-SLO
A-From Oakland for Ted Hendricks (1975) B-From Kansas City in MacArthur Lane trade (1975) C-Acquired from Philadelphia in Bill Lueck trade (1975)
1976 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS
MAR 30 - Lost WR Barry Smith (Tampa Bay), LB Ken Hucherson (Seattle) and S Al Matthews (Seattle) in the NFL expansion draft
APR 1 - Signed RB Ken Grandberry (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL), RB Cliff Taylor (CHICAGO), CB Derrick Williams (LOS ANGELES), OT Steve Knutson (ATLANTA), G Larry Butler (CHARLOTTE-WFL), OT Phil Brazeau (PORTLAND-WFL), DT Chris Stecher (PORTLAND-WFL), WR Steve Haggerty (HAWAII-WFL) and RB Howard Strickland (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL)
APR 2 - Traded QB John Hadl, DB Ken Ellis, a 1976 4th-round draft choice (through Philadelphia-WR Steve Largent) and a 1977 3rd-round choice (RB Tim Wilson) to HOUSTON for QB Lynn Dickey
JUN 11 - Acquired WR Earl Thomas from ST. LOUIS for an undisclosed draft choice. Signed RB Tom Jakubowski, LB Jerry Dandridge (15th round), K Tim Black, OT Larry Johnson and P-K Bruce Barnes
JUL 15 - Released RB Tim Jakubowski
JUL 20 - Waived K Tim Black and RB Ken Grandberry
JUL 30 - LB Larry Hefner retired
AUG 2 - Signed WR Ron Mayo. OG Jim Miller retired. Placed DT Chris Stecher (knee) and LB Jerry Dandridge (knee) on injured reserve. Released P-K Bruce Barnes, C Bill Cooke, WR John Green, TE Ray Hall (17th round) and DE Larry Johnson (59 player - 2 All-Stars)
AUG 3 - Placed WR Earl Thomas (did not report) on reserve list (61 players - 2 All-Stars)
AUG 13 - Released WR Curtis Leak (11th round)
AUG 18 - Traded a 1977 4th-round draft choice (C Ted Petersen) to PITTSBURGH for DE Bob Barber
AUG 23 - Waived RB Terry Wells, DE Drew Taylor, WR Ron Mayo, WR Nate Hawkins and LB Tom Hull. Placed WR Gerald Tinker (knee) on injured reserve and DB Jim Burrow (knee) on 15-day inactive list (51 players)
AUG 26 - Traded a 1977 12th-round draft choice (LB Rod Martin) to OAKLAND for WR Ollie Smith
AUG 31 - Traded OG Bill Bain to DENVER for a 1977 3rd-round draft choice (G Rick Scribner)
SEPT 6 - Traded K Joe Danelo to NEW YORK GIANTS for a 1978 10th-round draft choice (C Mark Totten) and a 1977 7th-round (C Derrel Gofourth). Placed LB Jim Carter (broken arm), WR Aundra Thompson (back), DB Derrick Williams (broken leg), OL Keith Wortman and QB Don Milan (wrist) on injured reserve. Waived DT Steve Okoniewski and RB John Henson (14th round) (43 players)
SEPT 15 - Traded an undisclosed draft choice to PHILADELPHIA for WR Don Zimmerman
SEPT 21 - Purchased LB Don Hansen from SEATTLE for cash