Drafted in the fifth round (51st overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft out of Tulane, Max McGee made an instant impression as a dual-threat rookie for Green Bay, pacing the offense with nine touchdown catches while leading the entire NFL in punting yardage (2,739 yards). His budding career was put on hold when he spent the 1955 and 1956 seasons serving as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Upon returning to Titletown in 1957, McGee quickly re-established himself as the primary downfield target in the Packers' passing game, topping the team in receiving yards three straight years from 1958 through 1960.

When Vince Lombardi took over, McGee became an essential perimeter weapon for Bart Starr alongside Boyd Dowler. His best statistical season came in 1961, when he caught 51 passes for 883 yards and seven touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection while helping lead Green Bay to an NFL Championship. Beyond his receiving, McGee remained a special-teams weapon, leading the NFL in punting yards for a second time in 1959 and booming 256 career punts for over 10,000 yards.

By 1966, the veteran receiver had transitioned into a reserve role behind Boyd Dowler and Carroll Dale, expecting little playing time entering Super Bowl I against the Kansas City Chiefs. Legendary folklore has it that after an unexpected night out in Los Angeles, a sleep-deprived McGee was pressed into action when Dowler suffered an early shoulder injury. McGee responded with a performance for the ages, snagging seven passes for 138 yards and scoring the first two touchdowns in Super Bowl history—including a memorable one-handed snare—to propel Green Bay to a 35–14 victory.

McGee retired following Green Bay’s victory in Super Bowl II, concluding a 12-season run spent entirely in dark green and gold.  Over his career, McGee caught 345 passes for 6,346 yards and 50 touchdowns, and punted 256 times for 10,647 yards.