American · Brooklyn · Born 11 June 1913 · Died 1970-09-03Vince Lombardi was a legendary NFL head coach who led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships including the first two Super Bowls, and is the namesake of the Super Bowl's Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Vincent Thomas Lombardi was born on 11 June 1913 in Brooklyn, New York, to Neapolitan-born father Enrico "Harry" Lombardi, a butcher, and played college football at Fordham University as one of the celebrated "Seven Blocks of Granite" offensive line. Lombardi built his coaching career gradually, spending years as a high school and college assistant before joining the New York Giants as offensive coordinator in 1954, helping the team win the 1956 NFL Championship. Lombardi was hired as head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 1959, inheriting a team coming off a 1-10-1 season, and transformed the franchise into the dominant force of the decade, winning five NFL championships in seven years, including victories in the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968. Lombardi compiled an NFL-record 90 percent postseason winning percentage, and briefly returned to coaching with the Washington Redskins in 1969 before dying of cancer on 3 September 1970, at age 57. The Super Bowl's championship trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his honour, and he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, remembered as one of the most influential and successful coaches in the sport's history.
Legendary head coach of the Green Bay Packers dynasty; namesake of the Super Bowl trophy
How They Played
Power Sweep offense, disciplined execution, mental toughness, fundamentals-focused approach
Lasting Impact
Considered greatest NFL coach ever, Super Bowl trophy named in his honor, revolutionized professional football coaching
Career Honours
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1971)
- 2x Super Bowl champion
- 5x NFL champion
- Super Bowl trophy named in his honor
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| St. Cecilia High School | 1939–1947 | — |
| Fordham University | 1947–1948 | — |
| U.S. Military Academy | 1949–1953 | — |
| Washington Redskins | 1969–1969 | — |
| New York Giants | 1954–1958 | — |
| Green Bay Packers | 1959–1967 | — |
| St. Cecilia High School (Head Coach) | 1939–1947 | — |
| Fordham University (Assistant Coach) | 1947–1948 | — |
| U.S. Military Academy / Army (Assistant Coach) | 1949–1953 | — |
| New York Giants (Assistant Coach) | 1954–1958 | — |
| Green Bay Packers (Head Coach) | 1959–1967 | — |
| Green Bay Packers (General Manager) | 1968–1968 | — |
| Washington Redskins (Head Coach) | 1969–1969 | — |
American Athletes