My Presentation for Boyd Dowler to the Seniors Committee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Boyd Dowler was on the second team of the NFL 50th Anniversary Team (named in 1969) and he was joined on that squad by the likes of Sammy Baugh, Bronco Nagurski, Harold “Red” Grange, Forrest Gregg, Raymond Berry, Mike Ditka, Danny Fortman, Mel Hein, Len Ford, Ernie Stautner, Joe Schmidt, Jack Butler, Jack Christiansen and Ernie Nevers.

All but Dowler are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In fact, of the 45-man NFL 50th Anniversary Team, only Dowler and Ron Kramer are the only two members of that team who do not have busts in Canton.

When Dowler retired from the NFL after the 1970 season, he was 10th in all-time receptions in the NFL and 11th in receiving yardage.

Dowler put up those stats on a team that was considered a running team. The power sweep was the staple play with the Green Bay Packers under head coach Vince Lombardi. For example, quarterback Bart Starr averaged a tad under 20 pass attempts per game.

Those outstanding statistical achievements Dowler had in his career obviously have changed over the years for receivers. Especially since the rule changes after the 1977 season which has made the NFL a pass-happy league.

Rule changes like allowing defenders to make contact with receivers only to a point of five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Previously, contact was allowed anywhere on the field, unless the ball was thrown by the quarterback.

Besides being named to the 50th anniversary team of the NFL, Dowler was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 1960s All-Decade Team.

In his 11-year career in the NFL, Dowler had 474 receptions for 7,270 yards and 40 touchdowns. In the postseason, Dowler also had 30 receptions for 440 yards and five scores.

All five of those touchdowns came in NFL title games or in the Super Bowl. In the 1967 postseason alone, Dowler caught nine passes for 183 yards (20.3 yards-per-catch average) and three touchdowns.

Also, in his rookie year in 1959, Dowler was named Rookie of the Year by UPI (United Press International).

The former Colorado star was also named to two Pro Bowls in his career.

Dowler compares very favorably to three receivers who all have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They are Lynn Swann, Drew Pearson and Cliff Branch.

In comparing Dowler to Swann, Dowler had 474 catches for 7,270 yards and 40 touchdowns, while Swann had 336 catches for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns.

Swann was an All-Pro once and was named to three Pro Bowls, plus was on the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team of the 1970s, like Dowler was in the 1960s.

In the postseason, Dowler had 30 receptions for 440 yards and five scores in 10 games. Swann had 48 catches for 907 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 postseason games.

So, if you compare the two, Dowler and Swann each caught three passes per game in the postseason. Plus, each caught a touchdown pass in every other playoff game they played in.

The only real difference between the two is that Swann is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Dowler is not.

Pearson had 489 receptions for 7,822 yards and 48 touchdowns while he played with the Cowboys. Dowler had 474 receptions for 7,270 and 40 touchdowns while he played with the Packers and a short time with the Washington Redskins.

Both were honored for what they did in the decade they played in. Pearson was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1970s Team. Dowler was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1960s Team.

Pearson was also named to three Pro Bowl squads, plus was named All-Pro three times.

Pearson played in 22 postseason games and caught 68 passes for 1,131 and eight touchdowns. No. 88 also played on one Super Bowl championship team.

Dowler only played in 10 postseason games, but he caught 30 passes for 440 yards and five scores. No. 86 played on five NFL championship teams, which includes wins in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II. Dowler caught a touchdown pass in the 1961 NFL title game, another one in the 1966 NFL title game, two more in the 1967 NFL title game (the “Ice Bowl”) and another one in Super Bowl II.

The big difference between Pearson and Dowler in the postseason is that Pearson, although he played in twice as many games, only caught one touchdown pass in a championship game, while Dowler caught all five of his in NFL title games or in a Super Bowl. Games that his team eventually won as well.

Branch had 501 receptions for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns versus 474 catches for 7,270 yards and 40 scores for Dowler. The former Raider great was also named All-Pro three times and was named to four Pro Bowl teams. Branch was not on an All-Decade Team, like Dowler, Swann and Pearson were.

Branch played in 22 postseason games and had 73 catches for 1,289 yards and five touchdowns.

Four of those five touchdowns came in AFC titles games or in a Super Bowl. Dowler only played in half of the postseason games that Branch did, but every one of his five touchdown receptions came in NFL title games or in a Super Bowl.

Dowler, Swann, Pearson and Branch all played with quarterbacks who were all inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They are Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach and Ken Stabler respectively. Only Dowler has not accompanied his quarterback in terms of getting a bust in Canton.

I certainly hope that changes in terms of Boyd being part of the Class of 2025 for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jerry Kramer:

“Boyd not only had a great grasp of the game, but his execution in big moments during games was also phenomenal. I can’t recall Boyd ever making a mistake, as he was as steady as they come. Boyd was also a money player who came up big in championship games for us. Whenever we needed a big play in the passing game, it always seemed like Boyd and Bart knew exactly what to do to and their track record of what they accomplished is there for all to see.”

Dave Robinson:

“Boyd was a big receiver who gave smaller defensive backs in the NFL all sorts of trouble. Plus, Boyd was fast too, as he was a hurdler in college. In 1967 postseason, Boyd was almost unstoppable as we won our third straight NFL championship. That was also Vince Lombardi’s last year coaching us. Boyd’s first year with the Packers was also Vince’s first year coaching the team. All Boyd did was become Rookie of the Year. Very few rookies started in Green Bay under Vince. But Boyd did and he had a very impressive rookie season.”

Vince Lombardi Jr.:

“Boyd had great size with excellent speed. He also had exceptional hands. The bigger the game, the better he performed. Boyd was also a very good teammate, both on and off the field.”

Bart Starr Jr.:

“The three attributes Dad always noted regarding Boyd were as follows:

“1) His intelligence. Boyd not only immediately picked up every audible from Dad, he grasped the subtle ties required to run his new routes in a manner that would allow Dad to throw the ball into a new area featuring the greatest likelihood of success.

“2) Dad regularly noted to his good friend Zeke Bratkowski that Boyd ran more distinct routes at a high level than any receiver in the league. Short, medium or deep, his precision regularly placed defenders into a position of reacting just a bit too slow. By then, the damage was done. His skill level in turn prevented opponents from loading up against the run; this of course made Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung even more effective. Speaking of the running game, Boyd was a terrific blocker as well.

“3) Whether it was a big game during the season, late in any game when he was most needed, or games such as the playoffs in which everything was on the line, Boyd’s poise and focus meant he was playing at his highest level when Coach Lombardi needed him to be great. Dad knew that Boyd’s performance in the biggest games would elevate the entire offense, including Dad himself.

“Combine all these details with the fact he was a dominant player for a decade, the case for inclusion ought to be overwhelming.”