Bill Forester

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George William Forester (August 9, 1932 - April 27, 2007) was a professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played eleven seasons for the Green Bay Packers (1953-1963) and was selected to four Pro Bowls. He was selected to the Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.

Video Bill Forester

Early years

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Forester graduated from its Woodrow Wilson High School in 1949 at age 16. He was an all-city, all-state, and all-Southern fullback / linebacker for the Wildcats and played in the 1949 Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Forester played college football in Dallas at SMU and was named All-Southwest Conference (SWC) linebacker in 1951 and 1952. He also played on the defensive line and at fullback. Following his senior season in 1952, he was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game in December and the College All-Star Game in Chicago in August 1953.

Maps Bill Forester

Playing career

Forester was selected in the third round (31st overall) of the 1953 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. He played on the Packer defense for eleven seasons, from 1953 through 1963, as a defensive tackle for the first four seasons, moving to middle linebacker in 1957, and later to the left side. Forester played under four head coaches in Green Bay; the last was Vince Lombardi, who arrived in his seventh season in 1959. He was a member of Lombardi's first two NFL championship teams in 1961 and 1962, both wins over the New York Giants.

Forester made All-Pro five times (1959-1963) and played in four Pro Bowls (1959-1962). He was a defensive captain for seven seasons and was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in early 1974. Forester was inducted into his high school's hall of fame in 1999 and into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2015, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Forester to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2015