Packers Legend Billy Howton Dies at 95

Billy Howton, a Hall of Fame Packers receiver and the NFL Players Association's first president, has died at age 95.

Packers Legend Billy Howton Dies at 95

HOUSTON – Billy Howton, a former Green Bay Packers star and a founder of the NFL Players Association, has died at age 95 in Houston. He was believed to be the oldest living NFL player at the time of his death, according to obituaries from Bradshaw-Carter Funeral Home.

Howton was drafted by the Packers in 1952 and quickly became a centerpiece of the passing game in the pre Super Bowl era. He was the first NFL rookie to post 1,000 receiving yards, finishing that season with 1,231 yards. He led the league in receiving yards twice, earned four Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors, and still holds the Packers’ single-game record with 257 receiving yards in a 1956 win over the Los Angeles Rams. At his retirement in 1963, Howton was the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions (503) and receiving yards (8,459) and was later inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.

His career also included stints with the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, including being part of the Cowboys’ inaugural team in 1960 under coach Tom Landry. Howton was an All-American at Rice and is in the Rice Hall of Fame. Beyond his on field feats, he helped found the NFL Players Association and served as its first president, a role that helped push for greater player rights and organization long after his playing days.

Howton’s life traces the arc from the raw, record-setting years before the Super Bowl to the modern era of players’ unions and collective bargaining. His on-field production was remarkable for the era, and his leadership with the NFLPA shows how a player can influence the sport off the field as well. That combination of athletic excellence and civic duty marks his true legacy.

The obituary also invites a broader reflection on memory in football. The sport tends to spotlight current stars, but pioneers like Howton laid groundwork for today’s players, leagues and fans. Remembering him means acknowledging both the touchdowns and the efforts that shaped players’ rights and the game’s governance.

Highlights

The game moves on, but its pioneers keep guiding it.