The 1987 Green Bay Packers (5-9-1)

1987 IN REVIEW

Two different teams took the field for the Green Bay Packers in 1987. The regular players opened the season 0-1-1, then went on strike. For three weeks, replacement players

took part in NFL games. The Packers' "B" team went 2-1. When the regulars returned, they struggled to a 3-7 record down the stretch. QB Randy Wright held out in training

camp, as did first-round draft choice Brent Fullwood. Wright was replaced on numerous occasions by rookie QB Don Majkowski. Fullwood gained just 274 yards on the

season. Off the field, DE Charles Martin was waived in September after a bar fight, and CB Mossy Cade was sent to prison in August for sexual assault. Tom Braatz was

named executive vice president in January, the first time since 1958 that control of the team was divided between the head coach and another person. As for head Forrest

Gregg, he resigned on January 15, 1988 to become head coach at his alma mater, SMU. Braatz hired Lindy Infante to restore the pride in Packerland.

EAU CLAIRE MAN RELISHES TIME WITH PACKERS

SOURCE: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, 9-7-2008

When the 1987 strike began, Lee Weigel was coaching running backs at UW-Eau Claire under coach Jim Lind. Weigel called Packers personnel director Tom Braatz to set

up a tryout. He and another former Blugold, lineman Kevin Fitzgerald, drove to Green Bay, caught about 10 passes in front of coaches and quickly became Green Bay Packers.

"I thought there would be a lot more to it than that," he said. The Packers had enough linemen, so they threw some passes to Fitzgerald. He caught them all and was signed

as a tight end, Weigel recalled. Those three weeks put Weigel in the books forever as a Green Bay Packer. He didn't play in the first strike game at Minnesota, a victory in front

of just 13,911 fans. However, he played twice at Lambeau Field. A fullback, he carried the ball 10 times for 26 yards and caught one pass for 17 yards. He was paid $3,500 a

week, about one-fifth of the NFL average salary but not bad money for a young man just out of college. He paid off some school loans and bought a sports car with his

windfall. Weigel, a Marshfield native, was playing for the team he followed as a kid - a team coached by a Packers legend, Forrest Gregg, who remained the head coach

despite the strike. Gregg wound up quitting after the season. "Gregg treated us like we were one of the regular players. He made you feel welcome and like a professional,"

Weigel said. "Everybody just loved him. He did everything in his power to make us winners." The players were bused in and out of the stadium to avoid confrontations with

striking players, Weigel said. Occasionally during practice, however, eggs would be lobbed over the fences, presumably by the striking players, and Gregg then would move

the practice inside, Weigel said. Weigel thought of himself - and still does - as a Packer, not just a fill-in player. "It was my opportunity to get my foot in the door. The fans

wanted to see someone wearing the green-and-gold. They frowned on the veterans because they were getting too greedy," Weigel said of the strike. He recalling running onto

the field to the cheers of 35,000 Packers fans - only a half-filled stadium but much larger crowds than he expected and about 10 times the size he was accustomed to seeing

at Carson Park while playing for UW-Eau Claire. Weigel's goal wasn't just to play on the strike team. He wanted to impress the coaches and stay on, as a couple of

replacements did, when the strike was over. "On that one catch (for 17 yards), I should have done more with that one. If I break the tackle and score maybe they keep me. You

look back and think about things like that," Weigel said, recalling the team meeting Gregg held to tell them the strike was over and they were done. Coming out of UW-Eau

Claire in 1985, Weigel believed he had NFL ability. He was a small-college All-American at tailback for Coach Link Walker's teams, one of which won the 1983 state

conference title behind Weigel and quarterback Jess Cole, a Mondovi native and former UW-Madison recruit. Weigel, a power back, broke most Blugold rushing records with

three 1,000-yard seasons, 4,105 career yards and a 279-yard game. He carried the ball a school-record 944 times but lost only six fumbles. Weigel wasn't selected in the NFL

draft in April 1986 but signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys. They had planned to keep six running backs. He was the sixth. He expected to make the team until the

Cowboys picked up Herschel Walker, who starred in the rival United States Football League until it folded. "I would have made the roster," Weigel said. "I made room for

(Walker)." However, Weigel played in several scrimmages and at fullback blocked for Cowboys star tailback Tony Dorsett. Weigel also remembers scoring a few touchdowns

in those scrimmages. "I thought I belonged," Weigel said. After he was cut by the Cowboys, he flew back to Eau Claire. The next day his father died. "I didn't think about football

at that point. Family came first. It was kind of a blow," said Weigel, who then returned home to help take his father's place for a time on the family farm near Marshfield. He

continued to work out and to contact NFL teams. Weigel, who had 4.54-second speed in the 40-yard dash, had tryouts in 1988 with the Miami Dolphins and in the Canadian

Football League, but they were his last attempts at playing pro football. He began working in the concrete business in the Marshfield area and was an assistant coach at

Marshfield High School. Eventually, he started Tiger Paw Concrete (named after his Marshfield Tigers) and returned to Eau Claire about six years ago. He works mostly solo

on residential and commercial jobs, doing flatwork such as sidewalks, basements and driveways. As Weigel played at a neighborhood park last week with his children, both were wearing Packers jerseys. Someday he'll be able to tell them about his 24 days as a Packer, and maybe they can pull on his old jersey. "To play at Lambeau was a dream come true," Weigel said. "To get a taste of it, I was real fortunate."

NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AGE G HOW ACQUIRED

John Anderson 59 LB 6- 3 228 Michigan 10 10 31 12 1978 Draft - 1st round

Jerry Boyarsky 61 NT 6- 3 290 Pittsburgh 2 7 28 12 1986 FA - Buffalo

Don Bracken 17 P 6- 0 211 Michigan 3 3 25 12 1985 FA

Dave Brown 32 CB 6- 1 197 Michigan 1 13 34 12 1987 Trade - Seattle

Robert Brown 93 DE 6- 2 267 Virginia Tech 6 6 27 12 1982 Draft - 4th round

Ross Browner 79 DE 6- 3 265 Notre Dame 1 10 33 11 1987 FA - Cin (1986)

Mark Cannon 58 C 6- 3 270 TX-Arlington 4 4 25 12 1984 Draft - 11th round

Alphonso Carreker 76 DE 6- 6 271 Florida State 4 4 25 12 1984 Draft - 1st round

Paul Ott Carruth 30 RB 6- 1 220 Alabama 2 2 26 12 1986 FA - Birm (USFL)

Bill Cherry 69 C 6- 4 277 Middle Tenn St 2 2 26 12 1986 FA

Jessie Clark 33 FB 6- 0 228 Arkansas 5 5 27 12 1983 Draft - 7th round

*-Steve Collier 64 T 6- 7 342 Bethune-Cookman 1 1 24 7 1987 FA

Kelly Cook 20 RB 5-10 225 Oklahoma State 1 1 25 11 1987 FA

Kenneth Davis 36 RB 5-10 209 TCU 2 2 25 10 1986 Draft - 2nd round

Al Del Greco 10 K 5-10 191 Auburn 4 4 25 5 1984 FA

Burnell Dent 56 LB 6- 1 236 Tulane 2 2 24 9 1986 Draft - 6th round

John Dorsey 99 LB 6- 2 243 Connecticut 4 4 27 12 1984 Draft - 4th round

Phillip Epps 85 WR 5-10 165 TCU 6 6 28 10 1982 Draft - 12th round

Brent Fullwood 21 FB 5-11 209 Auburn 1 1 23 11 1987 Draft - 1st round

Tiger Greene 23 DB 6- 0 194 W. Carolina 2 3 25 11 1986 FA - Atl (1985)

Joey Hackett 89 TE 6- 5 267 Elon 1 2 27 11 1987 FA - Denver (1986)

Ron Hallstrom 65 G 6- 6 290 Iowa 6 6 28 12 1982 Draft - 1st round

Tim Harris 97 LB 6- 5 235 Memphis State 2 2 22 12 1986 Draft - 4th round

Johnny Holland 50 LB 6- 2 221 Texas A&M 1 1 22 12 1987 Draft - 2nd round

Norman Jefferson 38 DB 5-10 183 LSU 1 1 23 12 1987 Draft - 12th round

Ezra Johnson 90 DE 6- 4 264 Morris Brown 11 11 31 6 1977 Draft - 1st round

Kenneth Johnson 39 CB 6- 0 185 Mississippi St 1 1 23 12 1987 FA - NJ (USFL)

Mark Lee 22 CB 5-11 189 Washington 8 8 29 12 1980 Draft - 2nd round

Mark Lewis 89 TE 6- 2 237 Texas A&M 3 3 26 1 1985 Draft - 6th round

Dave Logan 94 NT 6- 2 250 Pittsburgh 1 9 30 2 1987 FA - TB (1986)

Don Majkowski 5 QB 6- 2 197 Virignia 1 1 23 7 1987 Draft - 10th round

Chris Mandeville 44 S 6- 1 213 Cal-Davis 2 2 22 4 1986 FA

Charles Martin 94 DE 6- 4 280 Livingston 4 4 28 2 1984 FA

Brent Moore 98 LB 6- 5 242 USC 1 1 24 4 1986 Draft - 9th round

Rich Moran 57 G 6- 2 275 San Diego State 3 3 25 12 1985 Draft - 3rd round

*-Jim Bob Morris 47 S 6- 3 211 Kansas State 1 1 26 8 1987 FA - SA (USFL)

*-Lee Morris 81 WR 5-10 180 Oklahoma 1 1 23 2 1987 FA

Mark Murphy 37 S 6- 2 201 West Liberty St 7 7 29 12 1980 FA

Frankie Neal 80 WR 6- 1 202 Fort Hays State 1 1 21 12 1987 Draft - 3rd round

Tom Neville 72 G 6- 5 306 Fresno State 2 2 25 12 1986 FA

Brian Noble 91 LB 6- 3 252 Arizona State 3 3 24 12 1985 Draft - 5th round

Keith Paskett 82 WR 5-11 180 Western Kentucky 1 1 22 12 1987 FA

Tommy Robison 77 G 6- 4 290 Texas A&M 1 1 25 3 1987 FA - Hous (USFL)

Ken Ruettgers 75 T 6- 5 280 USC 3 3 25 12 1985 Draft - 1st round

*-Patrick Scott 83 WR 5-10 170 Grambling 1 1 23 5 1987 Draft - 11th round

Walter Stanley 87 WR 5- 9 179 Mesa 3 3 26 12 1985 Draft - 4th round

Scott Stephen 54 LB 6- 2 232 Arizona State 1 1 23 8 1987 Draft - 3rd round

Ken Stills 29 S 5-10 186 Wisconsin 3 3 24 11 1985 Draft - 8th round

*-Keith Uecker 70 G 6- 5 284 Auburn 3 5 27 7 1984 FA - Denver (1983)

Alan Veingrad 73 T 6- 5 277 East Texas State 2 2 24 11 1986 FA

Mike Weddington 52 LB 6- 4 245 Oklahoma 2 2 26 12 1986 FA - NJ (USFL)

Clayton Weishuhn 51 LB 6- 1 218 Angelo State 1 5 27 9 1987 FA - N. Eng (1986)

Ed West 86 TE 6- 1 243 Auburn 4 4 26 12 1984 FA

Randy Wright 16 QB 6- 2 203 Wisconsin 4 4 26 9 1984 Draft - 6th round

*-Max Zendejas 8 K 5-11 184 Arizona 1 2 23 7 1987 FA - Wash (1986)

* - Also played in replacement games

NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent

1987 PACKERS REPLACEMENT ROSTER

NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED

Aric Anderson 53 LB 6- 2 220 Iona 1 1 22 3 1987 FA

Todd Auer 72-98 LB 6- 1 230 Western Illinois 1 1 22 3 1987 FA

Warren Bone 72 DE 6- 4 265 Texas Southern 1 1 22 1 1987 FA

David Caldwell 73 NT 6- 1 261 TCU 1 1 22 3 1987 FA

Putt Choate 57 LB 6- 0 225 SMU 1 1 30 2 1987 FA - San An (USFL)

*-St. Collier 92-70-74 T 6- 7 342 Bethune-Cookman 1 1 24 3 1987 FA

Chuck Compton 41 DB 5-10 190 Boise State 1 1 22 2 1987 FA

Jeff Drost 71 DT 6- 5 286 Iowa 1 1 23 2 1987 Draft - 8th round

Tony Elliott 27 DB 5-10 195 Central Michigan 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

Mike Estep 79 G 6- 4 265 Bowling Green 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

Kevin Fitzgerald 89 TE 6- 3 235 UW-Eau Claire 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

Willie Gillus 5 QB 6- 4 215 Norfolk State 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

Bob Gruber 69 T 6- 5 280 Pittsburgh 1 1 29 1 1987 FA - Jack. (USFL)

Derrick Harden 82 WR 6- 1 175 East New Mexico 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

James Hargrove 20 RB 6- 2 232 Wake Forest 1 2 28 2 1987 FA - NO (USFL)

Anthony Harrison 46 DB 6- 1 195 Georgia Tech 1 1 21 3 1987 FA

Perry Hartnett 63 G 6- 5 285 SMU 1 3 27 1 1987 FA - Chi (USFL)

Jim Hobbins 78 T 6- 6 275 Minnesota 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

Tony Hunter 31 RB 5- 9 215 Minnesota 1 1 24 1 1987 FA

Craig Jay 26-81 TE 6- 4 257 Mount Senario 1 1 24 3 1987 FA

Greg Jensen 54-60 OL 6- 3 266 No College 1 1 25 1 1987 FA

Kenneth Jordan 55 LB 6- 2 235 Tuskegee 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

David King 40 DB 5- 9 175 Auburn 1 2 24 3 1987 FA - SD (1985)

1987 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS

APRIL 14 - Traded WR James Lofton to LA RAIDERS for a 1987 3rd-round choice (WR Frankie Neal) and a 1988 4th-round choice (NT Rollin Putzier)

APRIL 28 - Traded a 1987 2nd-round draft choice to ATLANTA for a 1987 2nd-round choice (LB Johnny Holland) and a 1987 3rd-round choice (LB Scott Stephen)

AUGUST 26 - Traded a 1988 11th-round choice to SEATTLE for DB Dave Brown

NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AGE G HOW ACQUIRED

Don King 17-32 DB 6- 0 200 SMU 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

Ed Konopasek 68 T 6- 6 289 Ball State 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

Tony Leiker 96 DT 6- 5 250 Stanford 1 1 22 1 1987 Draft - 7th round

Rydell Malancon 60-54 LB 6- 2 230 LSU 1 2 25 3 1987 FA - Atl (1984)

Von Mansfield 44 DB 5-11 183 Wisconsin 1 2 27 3 1987 FA - Phil (1982)

Stan Mataele 94 DL 6- 2 278 Arizona 1 1 24 2 1987 FA

John McGarry 61 OL 6- 5 288 St. Joseph's 1 1 23 2 1987 FA

Sylvester McGrew 77 DE 6- 4 257 Tulane 1 1 27 3 1987 FA

James Melka 52 LB 6- 4 257 Wisconsin 1 1 25 1 1987 FA

Jim Meyer 62 T 6- 5 290 Illinois State 1 1 24 2 1987 FA

John Miller 97 LB 6- 2 218 Mississippi St 1 1 1 1987 FA - NJ (USFL)

Ron Monaco 51 LB 6- 2 240 South Carolina 1 2 24 2 1987 FA - St.L (1986)

*-Jim Bob Morris 47 LB 6- 3 211 Kansas State 1 1 26 3 1987 FA - San An (USFL)

Larry Morris 43 RB 5- 7 207 Syracuse 1 1 25 2 1987 FA

*-Lee Morris 48-85 WR 5-10 180 Oklahoma 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

Freddie Parker 39 RB 5-10 215 Miss. Valley 1 1 25 1 1987 FA

John Pointer 56 LB 6- 2 225 Vanderbilt 1 1 29 3 1987 FA

Vince Rafferty 50 C-G 6- 4 285 Colorado 1 1 26 3 1987 FA

Lou Rash 34 DB 5-10 190 Miss Valley St 1 2 26 3 1987 FA - Phil (1984)

Cornelius Redick 87 WR 6- 0 185 Cal-St Fullerton 1 1 22 1 1987 FA

Bill Renner 13 P 6- 0 198 Virginia Tech 2 2 28 3 1986 FA

Alan Risher 11 QB 6- 2 190 LSU 1 2 26 3 1987 FA - TB (1985)

*-Patrick Scott 83 WR 5-10 170 Grambling 1 1 23 3 1987 Draft - 11th round

Travis Simpson 67 OL 6- 3 272 Oklahoma 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

Wes Smith 84 WR 6- 0 190 East Texas 1 1 24 1 1987 FA

John Sterling 33 RB 6- 2 203 Cent St-Oklahoma 1 1 22 2 1987 FA

Carl Sullivan 95 DE 6- 4 248 San Jose State 1 1 25 3 1987 FA - Oak (USFL)

Don Summers 86 TE 6- 4 235 Boise State 1 3 26 3 1987 FA - Denver (1985)

Lavale Thomas 45 RB 6- 0 205 Fresno State 1 1 23 1 1987 FA

*-Keith Uecker 70 G 6- 5 284 Auburn 3 5 27 1 1984 FA - Denver (1983)

Vince Villanucci 64 NT 6- 2 265 Bowling Green 1 1 23 2 1987 FA

Calvin Wallace 93 DE 6- 2 230 W. Virginia Tech 1 1 22 1 1987 FA

Chuck Washington 18-38 DB 5-11 186 Arkansas 1 1 23 3 1987 FA

Lee Weigel 25 RB 5-11 220 UW-Eau Claire 1 1 23 2 1987 FA

Kevin Willhite 35 RB 5-11 208 Oregon 1 1 24 3 1987 FA

*-Max Zendejas 8 K 5-11 184 Arizona 1 2 23 3 1987 FA - Wash (1986)

* - Also played in regular games

NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent

1987 PACKERS DRAFT (April 28-29, 1987)

RND-PCK NAME POS COLLEGE NOTES

1 4 Brent Fullwood RB Auburn

2 41 Johnny Holland LB Texas A&M

3a 61 Dave Croston T Iowa

3b 69 Scott Stephen LB Arizona St (A)

3c 71 Frankie Neal WR Fort Hays St (B)

4 89 Lorenzo Freeman DT Pittsburgh

5 115 Traded to San Diego in 1985 Mossy Cade trade

6 145 Willie Marshall WR Temple

7a 172 Tony Leiker DT Stanford

7b 191 Bill Smith P Mississippi (C)

8 198 Jeff Drost DT Iowa

9 228 Gregg Harris G Wake Forest

10 255 Don Majkowski QB Virginia

11 282 Patrick Scott WR Grambling

12a 312 Traded to Seattle in 1986 Dan Ross trade

12b 335 Norman Jefferson DB LSU (D)

A-From Atlanta Falcons B-From LA Raiders in James Lofton trade C-From Cleveland in 1985 John Jefferson trade D-From NY Giants in Phil McConkey trade

Bold - Played for the Green Bay Packers

THE REPLACEMENT PLAYERS WHO PLAYED AFTER THE STRIKE

* LB Jim Bob Morris - In the strike opener, with 1:10 to play, Morris flagged down an Tony Adams pass on the Packers' 4 and maneuvered 74 yards down the right sideline to the Minnesota 23 before being run to earth with 56 seconds to play, clinching a 23-16 win. He went on to lead the team with three interceptions.

* QB Alan Risher - After completing 44-of-74 passes for 564 yards and three touchdowns, Risher was kept on the roster, but only appeared for one more play (November 22 against Kansas City), before being released in December.

* OT Steve Collier - Collier was best known for wearing four numbers in his only season as a Packer. Collier tried three different numbers in three replacement games in 1987 and a fourth as a member of the regular roster. One of those numbers - 92 - was later retired for Reggie White.

* WR Lee Morris - After catching 16 passes in the three strike games, Morris stuck around, but was placed on the injured reserve in early November without ever appearing in a regular game

* WR Patrick Scott - Scott had been drafted in the 11th round, cut in training camp, then brought back for the strike. After the strike was settled, he caught one more pass. In 1988, Scott caught 28 passes for 354 yards and one TD.

* OL Keith Uecker - Technically, he did not stick after the strike ended. He was the first Packer to cross the line, doing so on October 14 and playing in the last replacement game. He would have an injury-riddled season, but play with Green Bay through 1991.

* K Max Zendejas - He made 10 straight field goals, leading the team to release Al Del Greco in November. In 1988, Zendejas made only 9 of 16 field-goal attempts and missed a 24-yarder with 11 seconds left in a 20-17 loss to Washington, leading to his release in October 1988.

1987 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (0-4)

AUGUST (0-3) RESULT RECORD ATT STARTING QB LEADING RUSHER LEADING PASSER LEADING RECEIVER

15 Denver Broncos (at Phoenix) L 14-20 0- 1-0 67,500 Chuck Fusina Don Majkowski (31) David Woodley (95) Willie Marshall (3-23)

22 MADISON-WASHINGTON REDSKINS L 0-33 0- 2-0 64,768 Randy Wright Kenneth Davis (38) Don Majkowski (29) Lee Morris (2-16)

29 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS L 20-28 0- 3-0 44,515 Randy Wright Kenneth Davis (80) Don Majkowski (194) Frankie Neal (10-151)

SEPTEMBER (0-1)

5 M-CLEVELAND BROWNS L 24-30(OT) 0- 4-0 37,707 Don Majkowski Kenneth Davis (110) Randy Wright (201) Frankie Neal (5-86)

1987 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (5-9-1)

SEPTEMBER (0-1-1)

13 G-LOS ANGELES RAIDERS (0-0) L 0-20 0- 1-0 54,983 Randy Wright Kenneth Davis (40) Randy Wright (99) Walter Stanley (3-30)

20 M-DENVER BRONCOS (1-0) T 17-17(OT) 0- 1-1 50,624 Don Majkowski Brent Fullwood (57) Don Majkowski (121) Paul Ott Carruth (3-27)

OCTOBER (3-1)

* 4 at Minnesota Vikings (2-0) W 23-16 1- 1-1 13,911 Alan Risher Kevin Willhite (72) Alan Risher (164) Lee Morris (3-46)

* 11 G-DETROIT LIONS (0-3) L 16-19(OT) 1- 2-1 35,779 Alan Risher Kevin Willhite (79) Alan Risher (164) Lee Morris (7-81)

* 18 G-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-3) W 16-10(OT) 2- 2-1 35,842 Alan Risher Kevin Willhite (100) Alan Risher (236) Lee Morris (6-132)

25 at Detroit Lions (1-4) W 34-33 3- 2-1 27,278 Don Majkowski Kenneth Davis (129) Don Majkowski (323) Walter Stanley (6-150)

NOVEMBER (1-4)

1 M-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-3) L 17-23 3- 3-1 50,308 Don Majkowski Don Majkowski (51) Randy Wright (161) Phil Epps (5-51)

8 G-CHICAGO BEARS (6-1) L 24-26 3- 4-1 53,320 Randy Wright Brent Fullwood (24) Randy Wright (298) Phil Epps (6-139)

15 at Seattle Seahawks (5-3) L 13-24 3- 5-1 60,963 Randy Wright Kenneth Davis (75) Randy Wright (134) Walter Stanley (5-66)

22 at Kansas City Chiefs (1-8) W 23- 3 4- 5-1 34,611 Don Majkowski Brent Fullwood (68) Randy Wright (91) Frankie Neal (3-46)

29 at Chicago Bears (8-2) L 10-23 4- 6-1 61,638 Randy Wright Brent Fullwood (64) Randy Wright (255) Phil Epps (6-81)

DECEMBER (1-3)

6 G-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-2) L 12-23 4- 7-1 51,118 Randy Wright Jessie Clark (76) Randy Wright (146) Walter Stanley (5-57)

13 M-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-5) W 16-10 5- 7-1 47,059 Randy Wright Paul Ott Carruth (33) Randy Wright (192) Frankie Neal (5-57)

19 at New York Giants (4-9) L 10-20 5- 8-1 51,013 Randy Wright Kenneth Davis (34) Randy Wright (131) Jessie Clark (6-31)

27 at New Orleans Saints (11-3) L 24-33 5- 9-1 68,364 Don Majkowski Don Majkowski (54) Don Majkowski (219) Phil Epps (5-44)

* - Replacement Game G - Green Bay M - Milwaukee

Green Bay Packers defensive end Robert Brown holds his 2-year-old son Michael as he walks the picket line outside Lambeau Field on Sept. 25, 1987. NFL players were on strike. (SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette archives)

August 12, 1987 – Randy Wright, a starter at quarterback for all 16 Green Bay Packers games in 1986, signs a one-year contract to end a holdout that had stretched to 15 days of training camp. “You get to a point where you think nothing is going to get worked out,” Wright says. “Then you get to the point where you are very confident, and you want to hurry up and get it done.” Wright’s 3,247 passing yards in 1986 were the third most in team history. It is believed that Wright’s new contract will pay him $375,000 in 1987. (SOURCE: Packer Hall of Fame)

August 4, 1987 – Brent Fullwood signs a three-year contract worth $1.5 million, and the Green Bay Packers first-round draft choice is eager to get started. “I’m going to go out there tomorrow and start practicing, give my full attention to what’s going on, catch up with everything, and when it’s time to play give 110 percent,” Fullwood says. The signing of the fourth player selected overall in the draft ends a 12-day holdout. “He’s just behind everyone else,” Packers coach Forrest Gregg says. “But we’re glad to have him.” Fullwood rushes for 274 yards in 11 games as a rookie. (SOURCE: Packer Hall of Fame)

Oct. 19, 1987 – For the first three weekends in October, NFL rosters are populated with replacement players due to the regulars having gone on strike in September. A day after the final replacement games are played, the Packers announce they will retain 16 players from those contests, placing 10 on an inactive list and six on injured reserve. “Today is a day to put a lot of things behind us,” Packers coach Forrest Gregg says. Of the 10 on the inactive list, five go on to play for Green Bay later in the season: safety Jim Bob Morris (8 games) kicker Max Zendejas (7), tackle Steve Collier (7) and wide receivers Patrick Scott (5) and Lee Morris (2). (SOURCE: Packer Hall of Fame)

This photo from Training Camp in 1987 shows defensive end Carl Sullivan wearing a helmet with an upside-down "G" logo! It also shows us how cost-conscious teams would re-use old gear in practice. From 1984 through 1988, the Packers wore a gold stripe down the middle of the Braisher stripes on their pants. That means that the pants Sullivan is wearing are at least four years old. (SOURCE: The Wearing of the Green and Gold Blog)

Don Majkowski throws a pass during a training camp practice at Olympia Village in Oconomowoc in late August 1987. (SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette archives) When he first started with the Packers in 1987, he was issued Paul Hornung's #5. In his second season, Majkowski changed to #7, which he would wear for the remainder of his time in Green Bay. He explained the number switch this way: People kept asking me how it feels to wear Paul Hornung's number. I kept hearing that, and I realized the impact Hornung had. I wanted to wear a number people could remember me for." (SOURCE: The Wearing of the Green and Gold Blog)

David Woodley (19) throws during training camp in August 1987. He was making a comeback after sitting out a season. He didn't make the team and never played again in the NFL. (SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette archives)

Chuck Fusina (4) throws during training camp in August 1987. He didn't make the team and never played again in the NFL. (SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette archives)

Striking Green Bay Packers nose tackle Jerry Boyarsky, left, and center Mark Cannon walk the picket line outside Lambeau Field on Sept. 29, 1987. (SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette archives)

Lee “Psycho” Morris ended up playing in just five games that year before his time in Green Bay was over. But, apparently he garnered enough attention to warrant his own article in the game program.

VINCE: A PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY (1987): "From the original book description: “Published to widespread critical acclaim, Vince: A Personal Biography of Vince Lombardi has been called: "the definitive biography" of an American legend (Editor’s note: at least until When Pride Still Mattered). With stunning revelations and anecdotes, Vince Lombardi's life is pieced together with painstaking care in research, detail, and historical accuracy. Based on more than two hundred interviews, including those who played with him and against him, from his early coaching days at St. Cecilia High School in New Jersey to West Point, the New York Giants, and his championship seasons with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. Drawing upon unpublished Lombardi family papers, Vince clarifies the thirty years of mystery and contradiction that have swirled around the legend of Vince Lombardi.” “Vince goes beyond the sidelines to reveal the true character of Lombardi. He was dedicated and narrow, intelligent and dogmatic, self-restrained yet emotional, abusive yet apologetic. His moods could swing from deep gloom to soaring exuberance in seconds. He was compassionate, kind, charitable. He could also be gripped by uncontrollable anger. Above all, Vince paints a portrait of a very human man who committed his life to winning.” - Packerville, USA for more content and pictures

THE HISTORY OF THE GREEN BAY PACKERS (1987): "We now come to a set of books that are relatively hard to find — compared to other more recent Packer books — the four-volume set from author Larry D. Names. This first volume, The History of the Green Bay Packers — The Lambeau Years, Part One sets the tone for the other books with exhaustive research and re-discovered history of the franchise’s early days. These books were written in the years when the on-field team was nothing to write home about, and before the revival of the franchise which began five years later (and continues through today). As stated earlier, these are hard to find, but can be had for a price. We’re glad we collected them from the beginning at the original prices. Volume Two of Larry D. Names’ history of the Green Bay Packers franchise focuses, as the title suggests, on the Curly Lambeau years — further on. Covering the years 1932-45, the Packers grow from a small town team to champions again to the precipice of the years of struggle. Invaluable material for amateur football historians and professionals alike." - Packerville, USA for more content and pictures (Volume One and Volume Two)

BART STARR: MY LIFE IN FOOTBALL (1987): "From Publishers Weekly: “Starr was an undistinguished quarterback at the University of Alabama and with the Green Bay Packers until Vince Lombardi arrived in Wisconsin. Even then, it seemed as if the new coach accepted Starr only with reluctance, but the gamble paid off and the outstanding play of the young man helped lead the Packers to five championships in seven years plus several other winning seasons. Starr and Olderman (author of “The Pro Quarterback”) present a picture of Lombardi at variance with the general image in Starr: My Life in Football; they show a man driven to push his players to the level of excellence he was sure each of them could achieve, certainly not a tyrant or a monster. The second part of the book, about Starr's disappointing years as the Green Bay coach, is less absorbing and comes as something of an anticlimax, particularly in its detailing of the games he masterminded.” - Packerville, USA for more content and pictures

The 1987 Green Bay Packers - 5-9-1 (3rd - NFC Central)

Head Coach: Forrest Gregg

THE PACK FIGHTS BACK (1987): "One might wonder why we needed a book to focus on the 1986 Green Bay Packers, but here we have one. The Pack Fights Back features a subhead of “Can Fresh Faces Turn Things Around?” Forrest Gregg had taken over the struggling team after the firing of Bart Starr following the 1983 season. His first two years (1984-85) ended with 8-8 records each year, and 1986 found the team mired in a 4-12 debacle. So, someone decided that they needed to produce this book to highlight the stellar season and the rampant optimism going into the 1987 campaign. While it appears to be more of a magazine, it is listed as a book, so we’ve added it to our feature on Green Bay Packers-related books that you’re enjoying this off-season." - Packerville, USA for more content and pictures