Billy Howton, a standout wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and two other NFL teams, died on August 4 in Houston at the age of 95. He retired in 1963 holding the league’s career record for receptions and was the first president of the NFL Players Association. Later in life, he faced prison time for involvement in a financial fraud scheme.
His son, William, confirmed his passing at a memory-care facility.
Although Howton never experienced a winning season with the Packers, he excelled as the franchise’s leading receiver over seven seasons. In his rookie year of 1952, during a 12-game schedule, he led the entire NFL with 1,231 receiving yards—a milestone as the first rookie to surpass 1,000 yards in a season.
In 1956, Howton set a Packers single-game receiving record by hauling in seven catches for 257 yards, a mark that remains unbroken. The following year, he caught the first touchdown pass ever thrown at City Stadium, now known as Lambeau Field.
Described as a tall and confident Texan, Howton was known for his speed and self-assurance on the field, often telling quarterbacks he could get open deep if only they could throw far enough. This characterization appears in accounts of Vince Lombardi’s early years as Packers coach and general manager, beginning in 1959.
Howton once again led the NFL in receiving yards in 1956 with 1,188 yards on 55 receptions and earned his first All-Pro selection that year. He repeated as an All-Pro the next season and was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times throughout his career.
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