Sad story about Willie Wood in today's Journal Sentinel

[Badgerinmaine]

Willie Wood was one of my early favorite Packers. Now, it sounds like he could really use some prayers:

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=727694

He's in a nursing home and is suffering from dementia, among other problems.

[oregonpackfan]

Willie Wood was always a favorite Packer of mine during the Lombardi era.

Mike Ditka, who played tight end for the Bears, once called Wood the hardest hitting tackler in the NFL.

In college, Wood was a pioneer in that he was one of the first African-Americans to play quarterback at a major college. He played QB for USC.

As the article states, he was undrafted coming out of college but the Packers signed him as a free agent for the position of safety. The rest is history.