Donning his Gold Jacket for the first time in front of a sold out crowd at the Canton Civic Center, Ron Wolf smiled as broadly as he was able in response to the applause.
For a man being recognized for his work behind the scenes, most notably with the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame can be a much more powerful experience than it is to the ones who played the games on the field.
In our interview earlier this year, Wolf was appreciative and humble.
“It’s a big deal considering where I came from and all the people that probably should be there instead of me”, Wolf reflected. “It’s an awesome feeling to be considered in the same vein with the greats of pro-football. It’s an incredible feeling. I had a lot of really good help along the way. I worked with really good people”.
So where did Wolf come from? Growing up in Southern Pennsylvania, just north of the Maryland line, Wolf recollected a football game he attended as a nine year old boy.
“We would go down to Baltimore which was roughly twenty miles from where we lived. The Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins played there in an exhibition game. I became bitten as they say with their skill and ability it took to play the game”
The exhibition between the Bears and Redskins occurred on September 19th, 1948. As Wolf pointed out, “it wasn’t the particular game but it was the individuals who were playing it”. The game featured future Pro Football Hall of Famers Sammy Baugh, Sid Luckman, and Bobby Layne playing quarterback. It also included 1947 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack and College Football Hall of Famer Harry Gilmer.
Perhaps it was at nine years of age when Ron Wolf began developing an eye for a talented quarterback.
Credited as the man who brought Brett Favre to Green Bay and legendary stardom, Wolf is frequently asked what he saw in Favre that others didn’t. Unable to contain my curiosity I was compelled to ask the question once again.
“It’s really an interesting question”, said Wolf. “I thought in 1991 he was the best player in the draft bar none, and the fact that he didn’t go till the second round never changed my mind. I had followed Atlanta around during the preseason and had an opportunity to see him play in a couple of games and he was really good so I was still convinced that he would be a great player and sure enough he turned out to be”.
Wolf traded a first round draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Favre in 1992. The move was made by Wolf after having been acting General Manager of the Green Bay Packers less than three months.
I was touched by Wolf’s tone in his response. Despite such a common question, it was as if he was evaluating and reflecting upon it with the notion he may find something new. But then again, this is what a Master Evaluator does. The analytical mind needs proof and verification. With more reason, comes more satisfaction.
Further solidifying Wolf’s legacy was his adaptability, shown through his embracement of free agency.
On April 6th 1993, the Green Bay Packers beat out teams such as the Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, and Cleveland Browns by signing perennial All-Pro Reggie White. A dominant defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles and previously the Memphis Showboats of the USFL, the Packers signed the 31 year old White for $17 million over four years. It made White the third-highest paid player in NFL History behind only John Elway of the Denver Broncos, and Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins.
The impact the signing had on the Green Bay Packers changed perceptions around the NFL.
Wolf agreed with the sentiment.
“It was an enormous signing for us”, said Wolf. “We realized we needed to add the dominating defensive player. It demonstrated we could compete and it did an awful lot for the Green Bay Packers. We were able to add new facilities. It made [Green Bay] a place where people wanted to play rather than before”.
The Green Bay Packers have missed the playoffs just five times in the twenty-two years since the Reggie White free-agency splash. Wolf helped restore the proud franchise of Lombardi and Starr, to that of Holmgren and Favre. His imprint on NFL History is now deservedly represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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