Acquired via trade from Houston in 1976, Lynn Dickey brought a pure pocket-passer's cannon to Titletown. Drafted out of Kansas State in 1971, the Osawatomie native spent his early professional years battling brutal bad-luck injuries, including a severe leg fracture that wiped out nearly two full seasons shortly after taking over the Packers' starting job. Through grueling rehab, Dickey returned to the huddle as a stationary pocket general possessing rare arm talent, touch, and downfield courage.
Working in head coach Bart Starr’s aggressive aerial system, Dickey brought out the full vertical potential of wideout targets James Lofton and John Jefferson. His career reached its statistical peak in 1983, when he led the league's most potent passing attack. He paced the National Football League with 4,458 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes, setting then-franchise single-season records and earning Second-Team AP All-Pro honors. One standout moment came when he helped lead Green Bay to a thrilling 48–47 victory over Washington on Monday Night Football.
Though paired with defensive units that frequently squandered his high-scoring outputs, Dickey remained a courageous presence in the pocket. His willingness to stand in front of opposing pass rushes helped the Packers remain a constant threat in high-scoring shootouts throughout the first half of the 1980s.
Dickey retired after the 1985 season, ending ten years in Wisconsin as the Packers’ second-leading passer behind Bart Starr. He completed 1,591 of 2,831 passes for 21,369 yards and 133 touchdowns. In 1992, the team inducted him into its Hall of Fame, honoring his decade-long tenure and record-setting arm.
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