Jim Ringo
Encyclopedia
James Stephen "Jim" Ringo (November 21, 1931 – November 19, 2007) was a professional American football
player, a Hall of Fame
center
and coach. He was a ten time Pro Bowl
er during his career.
Ringo grew up in Phillipsburg, New Jersey
and played high school football
at Phillipsburg High School. He went on to play college football
at Syracuse University
.
him in the seventh round of the 1953 NFL Draft
out of Syracuse. Ringo was considered vastly undersized at 211 pounds.
He was not, however, unfit for the role, using his outstanding quickness and excellent technique to build a 15-year NFL career, including 11 seasons with the Packers
, as one of the game's best centers.
Ringo played for four different head coaches in his Packers tenure. In his first six seasons in Green Bay, playing under Gene Ronzani
(1953), Lisle Blackbourn (1954–57) and Ray "Scooter" McLean (1958), the Packers went 20-50-2 (.291).
But Vince Lombardi
's arrival in 1959
changed everything, and for Ringo's next five seasons the Packers went 50-15-1 (.765) and 2-1 in championship games. Ringo certainly knew individual success before the Lombardi era, attending his first of seven straight Pro Bowl
s in 1957,but he flourished under the coaching legend, earning consensus All-Pro honors from 1959-63.
Ringo's speed and mobility made him an ideal blocker for Lombardi's famous power sweep, and all but one of running back Jim Taylor's five 1,000-yard seasons, including his then-record 1,474-yard effort in 1962, came with Ringo at center.
and 1962
, but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
in 1964
; the Packers went on to win three more NFL titles from 1965
-67
.
The details of Ringo's trade have been the subject of speculation. For years it was said that following the 1963
season, Ringo showed up in Lombardi's office, with an agent in tow, looking to negotiate a raise. Lombardi, according to this account, was so angered that he excused himself for five minutes only to return and announce that he had traded Ringo to the Eagles. Over the years it has been suggested that that story is more fiction than fact. In reality, Lombardi had probably been negotiating a trade for some time. The Packers also traded fullback Earl Gros
and received in return linebacker Lee Roy Caffey
and a first-round draft pick that they used to select fullback Donny Anderson
. Still, the legend persists. Ringo, who played 126 consecutive games for the Packers from 1954
-63
, finished out his career with the Philadelphia Eagles
, attending three more Pro Bowls before retiring after the 1967
season.
(2 separate engagements), Chicago Bears
, New England Patriots
and New York Jets
and served as Bills head coach after the resignation of Lou Saban
in 1976, posting a 3-11 record. He is best known as a coach for creating the dominant Bills offensive line of the early-mid '70s, called the Electric Company
, in support of running back O.J. Simpson. He returned to Buffalo as the Bills offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 1985. He held the positions until his retirement after the 1988 season.
Ringo was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1981.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, a Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
and coach. He was a ten time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er during his career.
Ringo grew up in Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
and played high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Phillipsburg High School. He went on to play college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
him in the seventh round of the 1953 NFL Draft
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
out of Syracuse. Ringo was considered vastly undersized at 211 pounds.
He was not, however, unfit for the role, using his outstanding quickness and excellent technique to build a 15-year NFL career, including 11 seasons with the Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, as one of the game's best centers.
Ringo played for four different head coaches in his Packers tenure. In his first six seasons in Green Bay, playing under Gene Ronzani
Gene Ronzani
Gene Ronzani was the second head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He coached the Packers from 1951 until 1953. He resigned with two games remaining in the 1953 season and was replaced on an interim basis by the tandem of Hugh Devore and Ray Scooter McLean....
(1953), Lisle Blackbourn (1954–57) and Ray "Scooter" McLean (1958), the Packers went 20-50-2 (.291).
But Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
's arrival in 1959
1959 NFL season
The 1959 NFL season was the 40th regular season of the National Football League. Tragedy struck as NFL Commissioner Bert Bell died of a heart attack on October 11 at Philadelphia's Franklin Field while watching the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers play...
changed everything, and for Ringo's next five seasons the Packers went 50-15-1 (.765) and 2-1 in championship games. Ringo certainly knew individual success before the Lombardi era, attending his first of seven straight Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s in 1957,but he flourished under the coaching legend, earning consensus All-Pro honors from 1959-63.
Ringo's speed and mobility made him an ideal blocker for Lombardi's famous power sweep, and all but one of running back Jim Taylor's five 1,000-yard seasons, including his then-record 1,474-yard effort in 1962, came with Ringo at center.
Philadelphia Eagles
Ringo was a member of the Packers' NFL Championship teams of 19611961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 14 teams with the addition of the Minnesota Vikings, after the team's owners declined to be charter members of the new American Football League. The schedule was also expanded from 12 games per...
and 1962
1962 NFL season
The 1962 NFL season was the 43rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, CBS signed a contract with the league to televise all regular-season games for a $4.65 million annual fee....
, but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1964
1964 NFL season
The 1964 NFL season was the 45th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season started, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle reinstated Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras, who had been suspended for the 1963 season due to...
; the Packers went on to win three more NFL titles from 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
-67
1967 NFL season
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
.
The details of Ringo's trade have been the subject of speculation. For years it was said that following the 1963
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
season, Ringo showed up in Lombardi's office, with an agent in tow, looking to negotiate a raise. Lombardi, according to this account, was so angered that he excused himself for five minutes only to return and announce that he had traded Ringo to the Eagles. Over the years it has been suggested that that story is more fiction than fact. In reality, Lombardi had probably been negotiating a trade for some time. The Packers also traded fullback Earl Gros
Earl Gros
Earl Roy Gros is a former American football running back who played college football at Louisiana State University and played in the National Football League from 1962 to 1970....
and received in return linebacker Lee Roy Caffey
Lee Roy Caffey
Lee Roy Caffey was an American football linebacker in the National Football League.He played college football at Texas A&M University where he led the Aggies in rushing with 371 yards in 1961. He played on the 1963 College All Star Football Team and in the 1963 Challenge Bowl and is a member of...
and a first-round draft pick that they used to select fullback Donny Anderson
Donny Anderson
Garry Don "Donny" Anderson is a former professional American football player who played nine years in the National Football League...
. Still, the legend persists. Ringo, who played 126 consecutive games for the Packers from 1954
1954 NFL season
The 1954 NFL season was the 35th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Cleveland Browns defeated the Detroit Lions in the NFL Championship Game.-Major rule changes:...
-63
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
, finished out his career with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, attending three more Pro Bowls before retiring after the 1967
1967 NFL season
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
season.
Coaching
He went on to work on the coaching staffs of the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(2 separate engagements), Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and served as Bills head coach after the resignation of Lou Saban
Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
in 1976, posting a 3-11 record. He is best known as a coach for creating the dominant Bills offensive line of the early-mid '70s, called the Electric Company
Electric company
Electric company can mean:*Electrical power industry*Electric Company *The Electric Company *The Electric Company...
, in support of running back O.J. Simpson. He returned to Buffalo as the Bills offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 1985. He held the positions until his retirement after the 1988 season.
Ringo was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1981.