There is a buzz around the Green Bay Packers this week which feels familiar. If you go back 32 years, there was a similar buzz surrounding the Packers debut of Reggie White to the excitement surrounding this week’s Green Bay debut of Micah Parsons. Milwaukee County Stadium was packed as the Packers opened their 1993 season against the Los Angeles Rams. With Parsons set to play his first game with the Packers, we are remembering Reggie White and his first game with the Packers.
Remembering Reggie White and His First Game with the Packers: The Buildup
The Packers entered the 1993 season with incredible optimism. One year ago, new coach Mike Holmgren and newly acquired quarterback Brett Favre led the team to a surprising 9-7 record. Even though the Packers missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker, they had a lot of reasons for hope.
That hope was multiplied over the offseason. The 1993 offseason was the first time NFL players had real free agency. Many experts were worried that the Packers would be destroyed by it. They played in the league’s smallest market and hadn’t made the playoffs in a non-strike season in 21 years.
But all that changed when the Packers signed the biggest available free agent in White, the most dominant defensive player of his generation. While gave the Packers organization instant credibility in free agency and immediate hope for a trip to the playoffs. It also gave the fans great anticipation to see number 92 in Green and Gold.
The Packers opened the season against the Los Angeles Rams who were coming off a 6-10 season under head coach Chuck Knox.
A Strange Start
In a rare occurrence, the Packers defense got the first points of the season. Punter Bryan Wagner pinned the Rams back at their own one-yard line when safety Tim Hauck downed the ball on the infield dirt. On the next play, The Rams handed off to Cleveland Gary who tried to run to the left. He was hit by Packers linebackers Bryce Paup and Brian Noble in the end zone and tackled for a safety. The Packers led 2-0.
But the Packers failed to field the ensuing free kick which the Rams recovered at the Green Bay 40. Five plays later, the Packers defense forced a third-down incompletion and Tony Zendejas kicked a 31-yard field goal to give the Rams a 3-2 lead.
Remembering Reggie White and His First Game with the Packers: The Packers Take Control
The Packers responded to their mental error and marched down the field. On third-and-five at midfield, Favre scrambled to his right to avoid pressure and heaved the ball deep for Sterling Sharpe who was standing at the goal line. Sharpe was double covered by Pat Terrell and Todd Lyght. The two defenders went up together for the underthrown ball which deflected off Terrell’s hands and bounced right to Sharpe who caught it in the end zone. The Packers led 9-3.
“I knew Sterling was deep and I tried to throw it up as hard as I could,” Favre said. “It wobbled a little on me, but Sterling made a great catch. That’s what we look for out of him and that’s the kind of plays we need to make all year.”
“I told Sterling he saved Brett a serious tongue-lashing because that was a launch,” Holmgren said.
After that, the teams traded field goals. Chris Jacke booted one from 51 yards out in the second quarter followed by a 32-yarder by Zendejas set up by a Robert Bailey interception of Favre. Green Bay led 12-6.
The next time the Packers got the ball, Favre led them on a 10-play, 76-yard drive. Good runs by John Stephens and Edgar Bennett set up two good passes to tight end Jackie Harris that gained a total of 47 yards. Favre found wide receiver Mark Clayton for a four-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds left in the half. The Packers led 19-6 at the break.
“A lot of times Jackie [Harris] was our second guy,” Favre said. “He was open, and I got the ball to him. You can see after the catch he can make some big plays.”
The Packers Pour It On
The Packers kept scoring in the second half. They took the opening kickoff and drove downfield for another score. The big play was a 26-yard pass from Favre to Sharpe. It set up an 11-yard touchdown run by Bennett who got a good block by right guard Harry Galbreath. The Packers led 26-6.
After a three-and-out by the Rams, the Packers put together another long drive that ended with a tough, one-yard run by Bennett.
The only scoring in the fourth quarter came on a Jacke field goal set up by 39-yard punt return by Terrell Buckley. That made the final score 36-6 and gave the Packers a resounding victory.
“It was a good game for us,” Holmgren told reporters. “We won and still made enough mistakes that I can hammer on ’em all week. There were a whole bunch of things.”
How dominant were the Packers? In the second half, the time of possession was 23:09 for the Packers to just 6:51 for the Rams. Favre completed 19-of-29 passes for 264 yards and two scores. Sharpe caught seven passes for 120 yards and a score while Harris caught five for 92 yards.
Remembering Reggie White and His First Game with the Packers: The Aftermath
White was serenaded by the fans as he and the Packers headed off the field. They chanted, “Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!” He only made two tackles in the game and didn’t record a sack, but he did pressure Rams quarterback Jim Everett a few times. The Packers players recognized the impact of White’s presence.
“Just having him up there fires us up,” Buckley said. “He makes you want to play to his level.”
“All afternoon they were running away from Reggie and that just opened up opportunities for the rest of us,” added Noble.
The Packers moved White around along the defensive line. He played nose tackle as well as both end positions at various times. “I like the way they’re using me a lot,” White said. “I think it really helped confuse Everett. They didn’t know what we were doing from one play to the next, and it kept them from keying on me or any of the other guys.”
White finished the season with 13 sacks and earned Pro Bowl honors. The Packers defense improved from being ranked 23rd in the league in 1992 to second in 1993. The Packers made the playoffs as a wild card and defeated the Lions in Detroit to win their first playoff game in more than a decade. Green Bay never missed the playoffs with White on their roster and they won the Super Bowl after the 1996 season.
As for White, he made the Pro Bowl in each of his six seasons with the Packers and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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