ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WFRV) – As several NFL Draft prospects arrived at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on Tuesday, Green Bay Packers legend Jerry Kramer accompanied them.
Local 5 News caught up with Kramer, who said he’s always excited to return to Titletown, the place where he won five NFL championships and two Super Bowl titles.
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“I’ve been back quite a bit this year, but it’s just been a lot of fun and I’ve had some wonderful moments here,” Kramer said.
Kramer, who played all 11 seasons of his NFL career with the Packers, is a member of both the Packers Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He said being in Green Bay for the NFL Draft brings back lasting memories.
“It certainly brings me back to my days when I didn’t know much about the draft or my geography,” Kramer chuckled. “I came out of class and had three or four of my football teammates waiting for me, telling me, ‘You got drafted! Green Bay!’ I said, ‘Where the hell is Green Bay!?’ I had to literally bring out a map.”
Green Bay selected Kramer in the fourth round of the 1958 NFL Draft. Though the Packers went a franchise-worst 1-10-1 in his rookie season, Kramer helped turn around the franchise, eventually earning five All-Pro selections under head coach Vince Lombardi.
Kramer ended his media appearance, which he says he still enjoys, with some lasting words of wisdom for the young players whose lives are about to change.
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“Quit signing helmets. [Focus on] preparation, mental, physical, commitment, consistency, tenacity, drive, will, discipline. I’ve got about a dozen words to try to convey the things that made us successful, and those are just some of them.”
The 2025 NFL Draft begins Thursday.
