Best of the Packers: Top 10 defensive linemen since 1960
By Phil Watson
2. Henry Jordan (1959-69)
When Vince Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers in 1959, he set about adding talent everywhere he could.
One of the most significant of those talents was acquired from the Cleveland Browns, when the Packers traded a fifth-round pick in the 1960 NFL Draft in exchange for defensive end Henry Jordan.
Lombardi installed Jordan at right defensive tackle and the rest is, literally, history. Jordan helped Green Bay to five titles during his career. He was a five-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, earning All-Pro honors each year from 1960-64.
Jordan played in 139 games for the Packers over his 11 seasons in Green Bay, retiring after an injury-riddled campaign in 1969. A fifth-round pick by the Browns out of Virginia in 1957, he played 13 years in the NFL in all.
After retirement, Jordan was named director of Milwaukee’s popular Summerfest and in 1975 was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.
In February 1977, Jordan died from a heart attack while jogging. He was just 42.
In 1995, he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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