Football world loses legend as Bart Starr dies at age 85

The NFL has lost one of its all-time greats.

Green Bay Packers legend and Hall of Famer Bart Starr died Sunday at age 85. He had been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2014. Starr was the MVP of the first two Super Bowls and the first quarterback in NFL history to win five championships -- all coming in the 1960s.

"While he may always be best known for his success as the Packers quarterback for 16 years, his true legacy will always be the respectful manner in which he treated every person he met, his humble demeanor, and his generous spirit," said a statement from his family that was released by the Packers. "Our family wishes to thank the thousands of friends and fans who have enriched his life – and therefore our lives – for so many decades and especially during the past five years. Each letter, text, phone call, and personal visit inspired him and filled him with joy. His love for all of humanity is well known, and his affection toward the residents of Alabama and of Wisconsin filled him with gratitude. He had hoped to make one last trip to Green Bay to watch the Packers this fall, but he shall forever be there in spirit.”

A 17th-round draft pick out of the University of Alabama in 1956, Starr was a Packer for 16 seasons where he threw for 24,718 yards and 152 touchdowns. He ran for 15 more scores and it was his quarterback sneak -- the first of the year -- with 16 seconds left in the game that secured his team's 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in The Ice Bowl, the 1967 NFL Championship Game. That win sent the Packers to the Super Bowl for a second season in a row and they won it all once again. His team lost just once in 10 career playoff games and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, his first year eligible, after a career that included league MVP honors in 1966.

When it comes to cardboard, it all begins with his Rookie Card in the 1957 Topps set. From there he appeared on a relatively modest amount of cardboard -- just under 1,400 cards in all. His autograph, a slowly signed consistent signature can be found on fewer than 400 different cards. His earliest ink from a major manufacturer arrived in the 1997 Upper Deck Legends release, a landmark set, but interestingly his first certified autos arrived in a pair of food-issue releases, 1995 Tombstone Pizza and 1996 Jimmy Dean All-Time Greats.

A majority of his autographs were signed for Donruss/Playoff, which is now Panini America, while his most-recent non-cut autographed cards arrived in the 2015 Topps 60th Anniversary rookie reprint set where his RC was released in three versions.

"A champion on and off the field, Bart epitomized class and was beloved by generations of Packers fans," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said. "A clutch player who led his team to five NFL titles, Bart could still fill Lambeau Field with electricity decades later during his many visits. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cherry and the entire Starr family."

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