Bart Starr is a legendary NFL quarterback, but age and disease have robbed the Green Bay Packers icon of his football memory.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Starr’s wife Cherry said she hopes Thursday’s ceremony retiring Brett Favre’s jersey will trigger Bart’s ability to recall his former life.
“I hope when Bart walks on the field that it will bring back a lot of really nice thoughts and experiences. I just think it will be really stimulating to him to see all the lights and all the people and to hear the cheering. I hope it brings back memories for Bart, even if it’s just for that moment. It’s been a long road to get to this point, and we’re all very excited about it.”
Demovsky notes stem cell treatments allowed Starr to recover from a heart attack and multiple strokes in order to be healthy enough to travel from Alabama to Wisconsin for the occasion.
A 17th-round pick in 1956, Starr quarterbacked the Packers for 16 years. He completed 57.4 percent of his passes and tossed 152 touchdowns in an era where the running game still ruled.
Starr earned five NFL championships, earning MVP honors in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II and helping Green Bay claim the moniker “Titletown.” He also coached the Packers for nine seasons from 1975-1983.
Green Bay fans will get the chance to see Starr, Favre and Aaron Rodgers in the same building, perhaps for the last time. That alone would be worth the price of admission.