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Football legend and NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis has died at the age of 85.
The retired athlete “passed away peacefully” on Wednesday in a hospital in Santa Monica, California, according to the Green Bay Packers. His wife, Carol, told the team that Davis had been hospitalized for about a month with kidney failure prior to his death.
“The Green Bay Packers Family was saddened today to learn about the passing of Willie Davis,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement. “One of the great defensive players of his era, Willie was a significant contributor to the Packers’ five NFL championship teams during the 1960s.”
He continued, “I enjoyed getting to know Willie and his wife, Carol, especially when he served as our honorary captain for the 2010 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XLV, and again for the 2014 NFC Championship Game. He also was a great role model for our players, having gone on to a very successful career after football and serving on the Packers Board of Directors.”
“We extend our deepest condolences to Willie’s wife, Carol, and his family and friends.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur also paid tribute to Davis, writing on his Twitter, “Sorry to hear about the passing of Packer legend Willie Davis. I never had the opportunity to meet Willie, but he was a legend both on & off the field. The stories of him as a leader & teammate should serve as an example to everyone. Condolences to his family & friends. #GoPackGo.”
Davis was first drafted into the NFL in 1956, but did not start his football career two years later due to his military service in the United States Army.
He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1958 to 1959 before joining the Green Bay Packers in 1960.
Wearing the number 87, Davis became the first African American captain in Packers history in 1965 when head coach Vince Lombardi appointed him to share the duties on defense with safety Hank Gremminger. He became the sole defensive captain in the following year.
In his 10 seasons anchoring the defensive line, Davis never missed a single one of his 138 games with the team.
He played defensive left end on all five of Lombardi’s NFL championship teams, as well as helped bring the Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls.
Davis was also a five-time Pro Bowl choice and five-time Associated Press All-Pro.
He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1975 before entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
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In retirement, Davis served on the Packers’ board of directors from 1994 to 2005.
His family said in a statement issued through the Packers that Davis was “much more” than just a football player.
“He was a trailblazer in the world of business, as adept in the boardroom of the numerous Fortune 500 corporations on whose boards of directors he served as he was on the gridiron. His later passion was radio broadcasting, becoming one of the first Black Americans to own a Class A radio broadcasting license,” the statement read. “A graduate of Grambling University, he was a proud brother of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He also earned an MBA from the University of Chicago as well as numerous honorary degrees.”
The family added that Davis would “undoubtedly agree that his greatest achievement was his family.”
He is survived by his wife by his wife Carole; children Duane (Inge) and Lori; grandchildren David, Wyatt, Harley and Hayden; as well as brothers and sisters.