A quick power runner who bulled his way into the record books, Jim Grabowski entered Illinois out of Taft High School in Chicago in 1962.
Three years later he became the fifth Illini to receive the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten’s best player — and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting — but Grabowski doesn’t look back on his time in Champaign in terms of individual accomplishments.
“I had such great coaches, guys that I developed a real friendship with afterward. In some ways, that’s the most memorable thing for me,” Grabowski, 79, said with a smile. “I had Pete Elliott, one of the greatest gentlemen ever in a sport, and his No. 1 assistant was Bill Taylor, who after all the years after I played, we maintained a good friendship. My backfield coach was Buck McPhail, who was an All-American at Oklahoma and used to give me a lot of crap — just terrific guys.
“That’s the thing I remember most, terrific guys and teammates. I think about all those guys that I played with. Some were truly great players, some were just terrific guys. Some died too early. And so that’s my memories. When you think of playing a team sport, you think of your teammates.”
Nicknamed “the Stutter-Step Stinger,” Grabowski amassed 2,878 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns in his three seasons in Champaign, finishing his career as the Big Ten’s all-time rushing leader. He eclipsed records held by Red Grange, J.C. Caroline, Bob White and Bill Daley.
As a sophomore, Grabowski led the Illini to a 17-7 victory over Washington in the Rose Bowl and was named Most Valuable Player. During his three seasons on the Illinois varsity (freshmen were ineligible), the Illini went 20-8-1.
He was an Associated Press All-American in 1964 and ’65, The Sporting News co-player of the year in ’65 and finished third in Heisman voting behind USC running back Mike Garrett and Tulsa wide receiver Howard Twilley.
“You know, I’m realistic,” Grabowski said. “I had a really good year for the time. Two years in a row I was very close to leading the nation in rushing. Brian Piccolo beat me out my junior year by 40 yards, but he played one more game.
“And then my senior year was Garrett. I mean, two years in a row, I was No. 2 in the nation. So I was always very proud of that.”
During his Silver Football season in 1965, Grabowski set conference season records for rushing attempts (252) and yards (1,258) and also broke the career mark for total offense.
“Anytime you’re getting honored as supposedly the best or the MVP or whatever it is in the league, it was quite an honor,” Grabowski recalled. “Getting the Silver Football was really special.”
The expansion Miami Dolphins selected Grabowski with the No.1 pick in the 1966 AFL draft, while the Green Bay Packers picked him ninth in the NFL draft — held on Nov. 27, 1965, only a week after his college career ended. He delayed signing with either team, choosing to meet with both and weigh his options.
After nearly a month of negotiations — and a last-ditch effort to sign him by the AFL’s New York Jets, who traded with the Dolphins for his rights — Grabowski signed with the Packers on Dec. 20, 1965. Vince Lombardi made the announcement during a news conference at the Drake Hotel.
The three-year contract, for an estimated $250,000, was the first of its kind for the Packers.
“I chose the National league because I’ve lived in Chicago and want to play around home,” Grabowski said at the time.
Grabowski and fellow rookie running back Donny Anderson were known in Green Bay as the “Gold Dust Twins.” Though his Packers career (1966-70) was hampered by injuries, Grabowski won two Super Bowl rings and led the team in rushing in 1967 with 466 yards.
He also recalled playing at Wrigley Field for the Packers.
“I remember (Bears) fans not treating me so well,” he said with a chuckle. “When you went down into their locker room, you had to go through the dugout and you got a lot of comments as you’re coming out on the field and going back on the field and halftime.
“Everything was a little antiquated. Especially the locker room, which was built for baseball players. You have 40 men and I think they only had like 24 lockers and the lockers were just little stalls. When we walked out, you had fans right there really close, and I’ve seen some of our players going back in the dugout at halftime receive some spit. It was truly an experience to play in Wrigley Field as the opponent.”
But he wouldn’t be the opponent for long. After a right knee injury in 1967 and surgeries on the same knee in 1968 and 1970, Grabowski was released by the Packers. A week later he signed with George Halas’ Bears. He retired after the 1971 season with 1,731 rushing yards over six seasons.
Grabowski remains well-known in the Chicago area. He was a longtime Illini radio voice, and then-Bears coach Mike Ditka immortalized his name during the 1985 playoffs by describing the soon-to-be Super Bowl champions as a bunch of blue-collar “Grabowskis.”
Grabowski still watches Big Ten, Bears and Packers games faithfully.
“When you’re 79, you don’t have to do a lot anymore,” he said. “Watching my grandkids once in a while and playing a little golf and just enjoying the day. I live in Inverness. We have a lot of winding roads here, and my wife and I take nice, long walks.
“It’s nice to be liked by people, and Chicago is just the greatest city in the world. And to my Illini fans, I’m with you, baby.”
Illinois Silver Football winners
- 1924: Red Grange, HB
- 1946: Alex Agase, G
- 1959: Bill Burrell, G
- 1963: Dick Butkus, LB
- 1965: Jim Grabowski, RB
- 1983: Don Thorp, DL
- 2007: Rashard Mendenhall, RB
