Willie D. Davis (born July 24, 1934) is a former American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. Â Davis grew up in rural Louisiana and graduated from Grambling State University…..where he played college ball for legendary Coach Eddie Robinson. Â Davis wore number 87 during his career with the Packers….and for 10 seasons anchored the Packers’ defensive line…..playing 138 consecutive regular-season games….part of 162 consecutive regular-season games for his NFL career. Â Davis was a member of all five of Lombardi’s NFL title-winning teams and played in Super Bowls I and II. Â
Davis played in an era when neither tackles nor sacks were official statistics. However, John Turney, a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association….and a painstaking, highly respected researcher/statistician….reports that his extensive research indicates Davis had in excess of 100 sacks during his 10-year Green Bay career (1960–69)….”possibly more than 120″….which included a minimum of 40 over the 1963-65 seasons alone.  Davis himself is quoted as saying, “I would think I would have to be the team’s all-time leader in sacks. I played 10 years and I averaged in the ‘teens’ in sacks for those 10 years…..I had 25 one season. (Paul) Hornung just reminded me of that the other day.”   Davis earned All-Pro honors 5 times (1962, 64-67). Meanwhile he was voted to the Pro Bowl five times (1963–67).  Davis recovered 21 fumbles over his Packers career….which, more than three decades removed from his retirement….still remains a team record. The Packers honored his retirement with a Willie Davis Day on December 21, 1969.  Davis remains on the team’s Board of Directors.
