Farewell to Football

Farewell to Football chronicles NFL player Jerry Kramer's final season with the Green Bay Packers in 1968. Written in diary format, the book provides a first-hand account of professional football during a pivotal era in the sport's history. Kramer documents the physical demands, team dynamics, and personal challenges faced by players in the NFL during the late 1960s. His observations cover both on-field action and behind-the-scenes moments, from training sessions to locker room conversations. The narrative follows the Packers through their season as they attempt to maintain their championship legacy under new head coach Phil Bengtson. Kramer details his experiences as a veteran guard playing through injuries while mentoring younger teammates. As both a sports memoir and historical document, the book captures a transitional moment in football when the game was becoming more professional and commercialized. The text examines questions of athletic identity, career mortality, and the evolving relationship between players and the growing business of professional sports.

Readers appreciate this candid look at football in the 1960s from an NFL player's perspective. The book captures the realities of injuries, pain, and financial struggles during Kramer's 1964 season with the Green Bay Packers. What readers liked: - Raw, honest portrayal of professional football's physical toll - Details about relationships between players and with Vince Lombardi - Clear, straightforward writing style - Behind-the-scenes look at NFL life before big contracts What readers disliked: - Some felt the narrative lacked depth - A few noted repetitive sections - Less action-focused than expected Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (142 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 reviews) Reader quote: "Shows the brutal reality of pro football before million-dollar contracts. Kramer's account of playing through injuries makes today's players look soft." - Amazon reviewer "More about survival than glory. Eye-opening look at what these guys endured for modest pay." - Goodreads user

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When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss This biography of Vince Lombardi reveals the inner workings of the Green Bay Packers during the same era as Kramer's memoir.

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The Glory Game by Frank Gifford An NFL Hall of Famer recounts his experiences with the New York Giants during football's golden age of the 1950s and 1960s.

🏈 Jerry Kramer wrote this memoir in 1969 while still actively playing for the Green Bay Packers, offering a rare contemporaneous glimpse into NFL life during the Vince Lombardi era 🏈 The book chronicles the 1967 season, which would culminate in the famous "Ice Bowl" NFL Championship game where the temperature reached -13°F (-25°C) 🏈 As an offensive guard, Kramer made the crucial block that allowed quarterback Bart Starr to score the winning touchdown in the Ice Bowl, a moment that became one of the most celebrated plays in NFL history 🏈 Despite being a key player on five NFL championship teams and making the NFL's 50th Anniversary All-Time team, Kramer had to wait until 2018 to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 🏈 The book serves as a companion piece to Kramer's earlier bestseller "Instant Replay," and together they provide one of the most comprehensive inside looks at professional football in the 1960s