BROOKFIELD – Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Bob Long passed away on Sunday at his residence in Brookfield at the age of 83. Raised in Pittsburgh, Long attended Wichita State University, where he earned letters in basketball for three years.
After exhausting his eligibility, he transitioned to football for the 1963 season. His performance was impressive enough to be drafted by two professional leagues. Long embarked on the first four years of his seven-year pro career with the Packers. In the 1964 NFL draft, he was selected in the fourth round as the 44th pick. Meanwhile, the AFL’s San Diego Chargers chose him in the 10th round, but he opted for the Packers.
Under coach Vince Lombardi, Long played in Green Bay until 1967, later moving to Washington in 1969, where he enjoyed his best season, starting every game and achieving 48 catches for 533 yards and a touchdown. Over four years with the Packers, he started four games, made 25 receptions for 487 yards, and scored four touchdowns.
He also had stints with Atlanta and the Rams in Los Angeles. “Having three passes aimed at you in a game was a lot,” Long recalled of his time with the run-focused Packers during a 2015 interview with Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “And you had to catch them. Lombardi didn’t tolerate dropped passes.” His 1968 season with Atlanta began well but was abruptly ended by a car accident and a broken back.
Lombardi later invited him to join the Washington team the following season. Long started only 29 games in his seven years, yet played for Lombardi twice, participated in the Ice Bowl, Super Bowls I and II, was part of three consecutive NFL championship squads, and played alongside 12 Pro Football Hall of Famers. “Packers fans are unparalleled.
I might not be a legend, but they never forget. Wherever I go, they treat me like a hall of famer,” Long noted. After his NFL days, Long settled in Wisconsin, where he became a Pizza Hut franchise owner, developing over 60 franchises and managing 24 stores at one point. He was also actively involved in various charitable endeavors, including Special Olympics, the Task Force Against Family Violence, and Alzheimer’s research.
