Max McGee Dead at 75
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by Cheezer
I really don’t have much to say about Max McGee. My words cannot do him justice. But I couldn’t let his passing occur without some kind of tribute to his existence.
I first heard of Max McGee during my childhood, when he gave insight into the Packers games for the Packer radio network. I didn’t know it at the time, but he was a Packer legend.
Max McGee caught the first touchdown in Super Bowl history. He ended Super Bowl I with 7 receptions for 138 yards and two TDs. This is extraordinary for two reasons. His career was virtually over by this point as he had only 4 receptions for 91 yards during the entire season. Secondly, he was extremely hung over.
Word is that he did not expect to play at all during Super Bowl I so he skipped curfew and stayed out until the wee hours (some stories say all night). The next morning he reportedly told Packer wide receiver Boyd Dowler: "I hope you don't get hurt. I'm not in very good shape." Adding to the legend is that after Dowler separated his shoulder on the second drive and Lombardi called for McGee, he had to borrow a helmet as he had left his in the locker room. The rest is history.
In my mind, his greatest quote is, “When it's third-and-10 you can take the milk drinkers, and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time."
His teammates say that his sense of humor helped alleviate the tension on a team controlled by the iron handed Lombardi. He was known for his sense of timing and his ability to come up with a big play when it was needed.
The 75 year old McGee died on October 21, 2007 when he fell from his roof in Deephaven, MN while clearing leaves.
Rest in Peace Max.
