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Pueblo sports legend Gary Nafeluk, who starred for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League, died December 19 at his home in Florida. At his 90s, according to Packers team historians, Cliff Kristol was one of his two starters to survive in his first game as Lombardi’s NFL head coach. was.
“I think[people should remember]what a great guy he was,” said Mike Leonard, Gary’s nephew who lives in Pueblo. “He had that charming laugh. He was a wonderful person.”
Leonard, 66, befriended Knaferk, who graduated from Pueblo Central High School in 1950. A four-sport athlete, Knaferk was a football prominence under his coach Solly Laso.
In 1973 Knafelk was inducted into the Greater Pueblo Sports Association Hall of Fame as part of the first class. According to a Chieftain article at the time, he was the fifth member to be announced as the first inductee.
After graduating from Central, Knafelk attended the University of Colorado on a football scholarship. He was a college star for four years and was an All-American defensive end in 1953, adding 22 catches for 451 yards and eight touchdowns that season.
In the 1954 NFL Draft, the Chicago Cardinals (now Arizona) selected Knafelk with the 14th overall pick. He played one game for them before being cut and was later picked up by the Packers, where he became a fan favorite and had his most distinctive moment.
“He was tough,” Leonard said of Gary’s style of play on the field. “[The Packers]not only became great football players, they were great in life. They all remembered what Lombardi taught them.”
Before playing under Lombardi, Knaferk was considered one of the most memorable moments in Packers history. With his 20 seconds left in the opening game of 1955 against the Lions against Detroit, Knafelc caught his pass for the winning touchdown. At that moment, hundreds of fans began storming the field, and some of those fans took him off the field and onto the Packers’ bench.
“He’s the only packer ever carried off the field,” Leonard said.
Knaferk scored another winning touchdown two years later at Green Bay City Stadium (now known as Lambeau Field), and in 1959 during Lombardi’s first season as Green Bay head coach. Scored his third touchdown.
Before the Super Bowl era began, Knafelc served as backup during the 1961 and 1962 NFL Championship winning seasons under Lombardi, who won three more titles in 1965, 1966 and 1967. was the Packers’ first tight end. The Super Bowl trophy is named in honor of Lombardi, who died in 1970.
In 1964, Knafelk retired from the NFL after ten seasons. From 1964 until his 2004, he was the public address announcer at Packers games. According to Leonard, he also owned an interior design firm.
When he discusses his playing career, Knaferk usually brought up Lombardi.
“He was always talking about how much Lombardi did for all of them,” Leonard said.
Knavelk was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1976, according to Krystle.
In 2013, Knafelk told the Denver Post that he stands by his contemporaries and former players who are asking the NFL for more financial and medical assistance.
“You couldn’t ask for a better man,” Leonard said.
Chieftain Reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com.. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.
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