On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced its two newest members, former players Ryan Longwell and Mark Tauscher, who will be honored at the 48th Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on July 21, 2018 in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Longwell, a placekicker, entered the NFL in 1997 as a free agent and was signed by Green Bay off waivers later that year, played nine seasons with the Packers (1997-2005). When he left, he was the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, with 1,054 career points, a record that stood until 2015, when it was broken by current kicker Mason Crosby.
Longwell made 226 field goals and 376 extra points during his Green Bay career, leading the team in scoring in nine straight seasons. His 964 points from 1997-2004 were the most in the NFL over that span, and he holds Packers records for most consecutive games scoring, with 144 games from 1997-2005, and most consecutive PATs made, with 156 (2001-05).
Following his tenure with in Green Bay, Longwell spent time with the Vikings and Seahawks before choosing to retire with the Packers in 2013, at which time he ranked No. 13 on the NFL’s all-time scoring list, with 1,687 career points.
Tauscher, an offensive tackle from Marshfield, was selected in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft and played in 134 games over his 11-year career with Green Bay (2000-10). The University of Wisconsin alumnus made an immediate impact in his rookie season, taking over the right tackle position in Week 2 and starting each game for the rest of the season.
Tauscher and left tackle Chad Clifton, a fellow Packers Hall of Famer, formed a longtime, dependable tackle tandem, setting the standard for a consistent offensive line. Among Tauscher’s most significant contributions were helping pave the way for team records in rushing (2,558 yards) and average per carry (5.0) in 2003, as well as a franchise record for fewest sacks allowed (14) in 2004.
Information about tickets for the banquet is still being finalized and will be released in the near future at packershalloffame.com. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. Golf Classic is set for July 9, 2018, at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls.
About the Packers Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a nonprofit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to preserve the history of the Green Bay Packers and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Packers Hall of Fame moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to the lower level of the Lambeau Field Atrium, and it was closed in November 2013 for renovations. The Packers Hall of Fame reopened in August 2015, and is now located on the main floor of the Atrium across from 1919 Kitchen & Tap. Groups interested in booking tours and those seeking additional information may visit the Hall online at packers.com/lambeau-field/hall-of-fame/visit.html.
Born in Milwaukee but a product of Shorewood High School (go ‘Hounds!) and Northwestern University (go ‘Cats!), Jimmy never knew the schoolboy bliss of cheering for a winning football, basketball or baseball team. So he ditched being a fan in order to cover sports professionally - occasionally objectively, always passionately. He's lived in Chicago, New York and Dallas, but now resides again in his beloved Brew City and is an ardent attacker of the notorious Milwaukee Inferiority Complex.
After interning at print publications like Birds and Blooms (official motto: "America's #1 backyard birding and gardening magazine!"), Sports Illustrated (unofficial motto: "Subscribe and save up to 90% off the cover price!") and The Dallas Morning News (a newspaper!), Jimmy worked for web outlets like CBSSports.com, where he was a Packers beat reporter, and FOX Sports Wisconsin, where he managed digital content. He's a proponent and frequent user of em dashes, parenthetical asides, descriptive appositives and, really, anything that makes his sentences longer and more needlessly complex.
Jimmy appreciates references to late '90s Brewers and Bucks players and is the curator of the unofficial John Jaha Hall of Fame. He also enjoys running, biking and soccer, but isn't too annoying about them. He writes about sports - both mainstream and unconventional - and non-sports, including history, music, food, art and even golf (just kidding!), and welcomes reader suggestions for off-the-beaten-path story ideas.
