The Green Bay Packers will kickoff their 2023 season 86 days from now against the Chicago Bears. In celebration of a new era of Packers football and in anticipation for the upcoming season, Wisconsin Sports Heroics will present the top 100 players in franchise history in the 100 days leading up to the start of the regular season. Our rankings are based on Pro Football References Approximate Value stat, which gives a numeric value to each season a player plays in.
Green Bay Packers Greatest Player #86: Ken Bowman
guard Gale Gillingham (68), tackle Bob Skoronski (76), tackle Forrest Gregg (75) and center Ken Bowman (57). Guard Jerry Kramer is behind Bowman. The Packers defeated the Cowboys 21-17.
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Another day, another Vince Lombardi Packers player. Ken Bowman was drafted by the Packers in the eighth round (111th overall pick) of the 1964 NFL Draft. Bowman also now the first former Wisconsin Badgers player that we encounter on our countdown to the top player in Packers history.
Now, talk about being underrated, Ken Bowman was on the same offensive line as Hall of Famers Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer. A stout center in his own right, he is oftentimes overlooked due to the Hall of Fame talent that surrounded him. Fans may remember his backside well, though. He was the center Bart Starr dove over into the end zone to win the Ice Bowl.
Bowman had a good ten-year career in the NFL, and might have played longer if not for his work with the players’ union. During his career, Bowman went back to school part time and got his law degree. During the players’ strike of 1974, he was the Packers’ representative. He was arrested while picketing and ended up on the season-ending injured list with a phantom neck injury. He never played in the NFL again.
Following his career, Bowman remained in Wisconsin and practiced law. He later sat on the Board of Regents of Concordia University Wisconsin (my alma mater).
Green Bay Packers Greatest Players List
- #100- Daryn Colledge
- #99- Mike Butler
- #98- Bernardo Harris
- #97- Tyrone Williams
- #96- Dick Himes
- #95- Mason Crosby
- #94- Mike McCoy
- #93- Gilbert Brown
- #92- Ryan Pickett
- #91- Ron Kostelnik
- #90- Earl Dotson
- #89- Paul Hornung
- #88- Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila
- #87- Robert Brooks
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