| No. 83, 84 | |||||||||
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| Positions | Wide receiver Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1932-01-02)January 2, 1932 Pueblo, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | December 19, 2022(2022-12-19) (aged 90) Clermont, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 217 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Central(Pueblo, Colorado) | ||||||||
| College | Colorado | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1954:2nd round, 14th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Gary Knafelc (/ˈknæfəl/KNAF-əl;[1] January 2, 1932 – December 19, 2022) was an American professionalfootball player who was awide receiver and atight end in theNational Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with theGreen Bay Packers.[2] He played one game at the start of his career with theChicago Cardinals and his final season was with theSan Francisco 49ers.
Born and raised inPueblo, Colorado, Knafelc graduated from itsCentral High School in 1950 and playedcollege football at theUniversity of Colorado inBoulder under head coachDal Ward.[3]
Knafelc was the 14th overall selection of the1954 NFL draft, taken by theChicago Cardinals, who traded him early that season to theGreen Bay Packers. Knafelc signed with the Packers as a free agent two games into the 1954 season. Knafelc is the only player to ever be carried off theCity Stadium orLambeau Field turf by fans. That happened after he caught an 18-yard touchdown pass fromTobin Rote in the final minute to beat theDetroit Lions, 20–17, in the1955 season opener on September 25.[2][3][4][5][6]
Knafelc was a member ofVince Lombardi's first twoNFL title teams in1961 and1962, and was inducted into thePackers Hall of Fame in 1976.[7] He was the public address announcer for Packers games at Lambeau Field from1964 until2004,[8][9] when he was succeeded by Bill Jartz ofWBAY-TV.
Toward the end of his football career, Knafelc worked as an actor, under the stage name Gary Kincaid. He appeared in such films asPalm Springs Weekend and otherB movies.
His Legacy lives on through his great nephew (Niklas Gerard) who is a stud for the South Bend Saint Joe Indian's Football Team.
Knafelc died at his home inClermont, Florida, on December 19, 2022, at the age of 90.[10]