Born:
Died: September 3, 1970
Place of Burial: Mount Olivett Cemetery, Middletown, New Jersey
Alma Mater: Fordham University
Coached For:
• St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey (1939-47)
• Fordham University (1947-49)
• New York Giants (1954-58)
• Green Bay Packers (1959-1967)
• Washington Redskins (1969)
Career NFL Record:
• Regular Season: 105-35-6
• Post Season: 9-1
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Vince Lombardi Quotes:
• "If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, "It is essential to understand that battles are primarily won in the hearts of men."
• "In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail."
• "Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile."
• "The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."
• "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."
• "There's only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything. I do, and I demand that my players do."
• "If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you'll be fired with enthusiasm."
• "Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit."
• "Winning isn't everything--but wanting to win is."
Got His Start:
At St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey, where he was paid $1,700 a year to teach Latin, algebra, physics and chemistry, and coach the football, basketball and baseball teams.
Best Known For:
Changing the Green Bay Packers, who were perpetual losers at the time, into an NFL dynasty.
College Notes:
• A guard in Fordham's defensive line, which was dubbed the "Seven Blocks of Granite."
• Inducted as a charter member of the Fordham University Hall of Fame (1970)
• Rotary Club created the honorary Rotary Lombardi Award for outstanding college offensive or defensive linemen
NFL Highlights:
• Named NFL Coach of the Year (1959)
• Named NFL Man of the Decade (1960s)
• Won Six Division Titles
• Won Five NFL Titles
• Won Two Super Bowls (I,II)
• Never had a losing season as a head coach
• Super Bowl Trophy Renamed the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy (1971)
• Inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame (1975)
• Inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame (1971)
• Named ESPN Coach of the Century (2000)
