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Green Bay Packers legend and the NFLPA's first president Billy Howton has died at the age of 95.
Howton died on Monday in Houston according to an obituary. Bradshaw-Carter Funeral Home confirmed his death on Friday.
Howton, who was believed to have been the NFL's oldest living player, was born in Littlefield, Texas, in 1930.
The former wide receiver established himself as one of the top wideouts of the 1950s and also founded the NFL Players Association, becoming its first president.
'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Billy Howton,' the NFLPA said in a statement shared to social media Friday afternoon.
'He served as a central figure in the formation of the NFLPA and a pivotal pioneer for player rights. Because of Billy's advocacy as the union's first president, today's player members have a pension plan, disability coverage and most importantly, a voice of their own in the game and business of football.'
Green Bay Packers legend and the NFLPA's first president Billy Howton has died at 95
The NFLPA, which Howton founded, paid tribute to the former wide receiver Friday afternoon
The Texas native was believed to have been the NFL's oldest living player
Howton scored the Packers' first receiving touchdown at Lambeau Field in 1957. He was a second-round selection by the Packers in 1952 and became the first NFL rookie with a 1,000-yard receiving season after recording 1,231 yards that year.
He led the league in receiving yards twice, was named to four Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro.
He holds Green Bay's single-game franchise record with 257 receiving yards in a 1956 game against the Los Angeles Rams, and when he retired in 1963, he was the NFL's all-time leading receiver in receptions (503) and receiving yards (8,459). He was inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame in 1974.
'For my money, Howton is the toughest pass receiver to cover in the National League,' Hall of Fame safety Emlen Tunnell said before the 1958 season, which was Howton´s last with the Packers.
After seven years in Green Bay, Howton was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 1959 but he only played on season with the franchise.
He was then to Dallas as a member of the Cowboys' inaugural team in 1960. He spent the rest of his career there, playing for coach Tom Landry with quarterbacks Eddie LeBaron and Don Meredith.
Howton was an All-American in college at Rice and is a member of the Rice Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his three children – Karin and her daughter Katie; Kimberly and her husband Chris; and William and his wife Rita and step-daughter Gabriella.
Howton is also survived by his sister, Sylvia Baker, and by Sylvia’s daughter Linda and son-in-law Fletcher.
More to follow.
