Jermichael Finley

Jermichael Finley turned 35 yesterday. He was born on March 26, 1987 in Lufkin, Texas. In a happier universe, he now might be concluding a celebrated career as perhaps the greatest tight end in Packer history. In this universe that did not happen.

At 6’4” and 240 pounds with speed, Finley had the ability to get up the field as a receiver. He came out for the draft after his sophomore year at Texas and was picked in the third round by the Packers in 2008. He began to flash his potential in 2009, becoming a favorite target for Aaron Rodgers, but went down to a knee injury in week five of the 2010 championship season. He returned to catch 55 and 61 passes in 2011 and 2012 but began complaining publicly about being Rodgers’ fourth option and not getting the ball enough, which is a good way to tick off your overly sensitive quarterback. Finley seemed to be off to a good start in 2013 but was lost in week seven to a bruised spinal cord. After that, the Packers, Seahawks and other teams looked at Finley, but no one was willing to take on the physical risk and his career ended.

Finley never had the most consistent hands and had periodic attitude issues, but he was a very good tight end with potential to get even better in Mike McCarthy’s offense. It is unfortunate that once again a spinal cord problem ended a promising Packers’ career, as it did with Sterling Sharpe, Tim Lewis, Nick Collins and Mark Chmura.

(Adapted from Green Bay Gold.)

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Derrel Gofourth

One of the greatest battlers in team history, Derrel Gofourth, was born on March 20, 1955, in Parsons, Kansas. Gofourth went to Oklahoma State University and earned some All-America notice as a senior. Green Bay selected him in the seventh round of the 1977 draft, and Derrel backed up Larry McCarren at center as a rookie, appearing in 13 of 14 games.

The next year, Gofourth moved into the starting lineup at left guard where he would be a fixture for the next five years. When the Packers dealt him to San Diego in 1983 for an undisclosed draft choice, they noted he was a frequent victim of injuries, and that was true. He suffered chronic problems with his neck, elbows and knees and had several offseason surgeries.

However, Gofourth’s determination to play through his injuries was remarkable. He started 63 consecutive games from 1978 through 1981, before missing the season finale in the latter season. In the strike-shortened 1982 season, he missed two games, but also missed his only chance to appear in the postseason with a groin injury.

The 6’3” 260-pound guard played with great strength and tenaciousness, no matter his physical difficulties. He once said, “You should be able to play with pain. It’s my job to play.” Replaced by rookie Dave Drechsler in 1983, Gofourth was sent to San Diego just as the Don Coryell era was closing. Unfortunately, he spent his last two seasons on losing teams, but again gave his all as a reserve appearing in all but one game. He retired in 1985 and became a success in the insurance industry.

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Josh Bidwell

Born on March 13, 1976, in Winston, Oregon, Josh Bidwell was a 6’3” 220-pound punter that Ron Wolf plucked from Oregon with his fourth-round pick in 1999. Bidwell then missed his entire first year due to testicular cancer. Returning to the team in 2000, he did a solid job punting for the next four years averaging 41.1 yards per punt for Green Bay.

Bidwell left as a free agent in 2004 and signed with the Bucs. In five years in the sunny climes of Tampa, Josh upped his punting average to 44 yards per punt and went to the Pro Bowl in 2005. After missing the 2009 season due to a hip injury, he finished his career in 2010 with the Redskins.

Bidwell was the only punter Wolf ever drafted in Green Bay and was the 11^th of 13 pure punters drafted by the team as of yet. The first was Randy Walker in the 12^th round in 1974, who lasted just one season with the Pack. Bart Starr drafted two punters in 1979–Rick Partridge in round eight and Bill Moats in round 12–but neither made the team. He next selected the disastrous Ray Stachowicz in the third round in 1981. When Stachowicz failed over two seasons, Starr picked Bucky Scribner in the eleventh round in 1983, and the left-footer also spent two seasons in Green Bay.

From 1985 through 1991, the team selected five punters in rounds five through 12, but none of them ever played in the NFL. Bidwell was chosen in 1999 and has been followed by the lame BJ Sander in round four of 2004 and J.K Scott in round five of 2018. Sander lasted one season and Scott three. Josh Bidwell was the best punter the Packers ever drafted, although that may be damning with faint praise.

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Tim Masthay

Kentucky’s Tim Masthay came to the Packers the way many of their punters have, as a street free agent pickup. Masthay, who was born March 6, 1987 in Pittsburgh, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Colts in 2009 but lost out to the team’s seventh round draft choice, Pat McAfee, in the competition to replace Hunter Smith as Colts’ punter. The 6’1” 200-pound Masthay spent the entire season working out on his own before Ted Thompson signed him in January 2010.

Masthay replaced Jeremy Kapinos as the Packers punter in the championship season of 2010. In addition to averaging 43.9 yards per punt, Tim showed his accuracy in the NFC title game against the Bears by dropping a franchise record-tying five punts inside the 20-yard line. Craig Hentrich had accomplished the same feat against the 49ers in the NFC title game for the 1997 season.

Masthay increased his punting average to 45.6 in 2011, but his net punting figures placed him 17^th in the NFL in 2010 and 19^th in ’11 according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. He was 21^st in both 2012 and ’13, but then slipped badly in 2014, particularly in the second half of the season when he had two punts blocked and another returned for a touchdown, to finish 30^th. He bounced back to 14^th in 2015.

In camp the following season, Masthay again seemed to have beaten all challengers before the Packers picked up Jake Schum on August 30. Schum had been cut by Tampa, but knocked off Masthay, and Tim never kicked in the NFL again.

(Adapted from Green Bay Gold.)

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