Jack Vainisi is a name most Green Bay Packers fans have never heard of. It’s unfortunate about that.
This is due to the fact that Vainisi was almost as important to the Packers’ 1960s success as Ray Nitschke, Vince Lombardi, or Bart Starr were.
Between 1950 to 1960, Vainisi worked as a personnel director, scout director, and scout with Green Bay. Vainisi was credited for finding seven players that were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during that period, in addition to a number of other outstanding players who helped Green Bay win five titles in seven years starting in 1961.
Regretfully, Vainisi was never able to savor his achievements. In 1960, Vainisi passed away at the age of 33 after suffering a major heart attack.
Starr said to me in a 2010 interview that “he was the unsung hero of that whole era.” “Jack’s talent-spotting vision made it all possible, but he gets overlooked sometimes.”
It appears that years from now, general manager of the Packers Brian Gutekunst might be spoken up in a similar context.
Gutekunst has put together two consecutive draft groups that could be considered among the best in team history. When Aaron Rodgers was still going strong, Gutekunst also had the guts to select quarterback Jordan Love in the fourth round four years ago.
What many thought would be a rebuilding phase for Green Bay has been avoided because to this incredible infusion of talent. The Packers will take on San Francisco at 7:15 p.m. tonight in the NFC divisional playoffs, thanks in large part to it.
