Bart Starr Tells Packers He’s Coming Back; Hall-of-Famer Says He’s Bored, Itching to Play Again

GREEN BAY - Bart Starr, a seventeenth round draft choice who led the Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls before hanging up his cleats following the 1971 season, is coming out of retirement.

Mr. Starr, who is 78 years old, informed Packers General Manager Ted Thompson of his plans in a phone call late yesterday.

“Bart said he’s been keeping himself in great shape since his playing days ended, and he thinks he wants to unretire.  He said he’s pretty bored sitting around the house, waiting to die, and his wife is driving him crazy,” said Thompson.  “I told him we were committed to Aaron Rogers at quarterback, and that we were still trying to deal with the news that Brett Favre wants to unretire, and that all this unretirement talk wasn’t good for the franchise, but he didn’t want to hear it.  He said he was going to call the Commissioner and see about getting an exemption to play with a walker.”

Mr. Starr has had limited mobility in his legs since former Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alex Karras chewed through his calves while both men were part of a midfield scrum in a 1968 preseason game.  Mr. Thompson said that Mr. Starr told him he didn’t want any special treatment, other than the walker, and that he will not practice with the team.  He only wants to play on Sunday afternoons.

“Bart was adamant about not playing any night games,” said Thompson.  “He goes to bed pretty early these days.”

Jul 31

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