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NFL

Green Bay Packers: Member Of Lombardi’s 1962 Championship Team Passes Away

Matt Brown photo
By Matt Brown · 2 min read
Green Bay Packers Ed Blaine passes away at age 86
From the Green Bay Press-Gazette of Sept. 11, 1962: "Boys will be boys (especially when there's a camera around): Proof of the foregoing statement is this picture snapped by Press-Gazette photographer Russ Kriwanek while trying to get the Green Bay Packers lined up for a regular team picture. He finally did get rid of the mugging. Missing from the picture is Max McGee." Bottom row, from left: Elijah Pitts, Ed Blaine, Earl Gros, Gary Barnes, Ron Gassert, Oscar Donahue, Ron Kostelnik. Second row, from left: Willie Wood, John Symank, Hank Gremminger, Dan Currie, Herb Adderley, Nelson Toburen, John Roach, Forrest Gregg. Third row, from left: Jim Ringo, Bart Starr, Gary Knafelc, Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, Jesse Whittenton, Lew Carpenter, Tom Moore. Fourth row, from left: Equipment manager Dad Braisher, Bob Skoronski, Ray Nitschke, Ken Iman, Willie Davis, Henry Jordan, trainer Bud Jorgensen. Top row, from left: Bill Quinlan, Norm Masters, Boyd Dowler, Jim Taylor, Ron Kramer, Bill Forester, Dave Hanner, Paul Hornung. © USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

Very few individuals reach the pinnacle of professional sports and then go on to make groundbreaking medical discoveries. Ed Blaine, a former Green Bay Packers guard and esteemed cardiovascular researcher, achieved exactly that. Blaine recently passed away at the age of 86 in St. Louis. This post explores his remarkable journey from winning an NFL championship to advancing our understanding of cardiovascular health.

Green Bay Packers Ed Blaine Legacy

The Green Bay Packers selected Blaine in the second round of the 1962 NFL Draft. Coming from the University of Missouri, where he starred as an All-American, he quickly found success in the professional ranks. During his rookie season, he played 14 games and helped Vince Lombardi’s Packers capture the 1962 NFL Championship.

In 1963, Green Bay traded Blaine to the Philadelphia Eagles. He thrived in Philadelphia, starting all 56 games over four seasons and earning All-Pro honors in 1964. His athletic excellence earned him inductions into both the University of Missouri Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Pioneering Cardiovascular Research

While his football career was impressive, his scientific contributions changed lives. Blaine earned a doctorate in physiology and dedicated his post-NFL life to medical research. He focused heavily on the connection between kidney function and cardiovascular disease.

During the 1980s, working alongside major pharmaceutical companies, he helped uncover how hormonal systems regulate blood pressure using salt and water. Blaine ultimately held six patents for his scientific work. In the 1990s, he returned to his alma mater to serve as the director of the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri. He finished his esteemed career teaching medical students and guiding the next generation of researchers.

A Legacy of Excellence

Ed Blaine leaves behind a legacy defined by hard work, intellect, and diverse achievements. Beyond his athletic and academic success, he also earned the prestigious Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the National Eagle Scout Association.

From protecting quarterbacks on the football field to pioneering vital heart research in the laboratory, his impact resonates across multiple disciplines. Sports fans and medical professionals alike can draw inspiration from his extraordinary life. To learn more about the ongoing fight against heart disease, consider exploring resources from your local cardiovascular research centers.

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