Fred Thurston

Who is Fred Thurston?

Frederick Charles "Fuzzy" Thurston is a former American football guard in the National Football League who played for the Baltimore Colts and Green Bay Packers. Thurston played collegiate ball for Valparaiso University before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 1956 NFL Draft. Thurston was signed to a basketball scholarship at Valparaiso and didn't begin playing collegiate football until his junior season; he led the Crusaders to an Indiana Collegiate Conference title and was twice selected All-American. He was also named All-Conference for the 1954 and 1955 seasons, while being named the Conference's Top Lineman in 1955.

He was a key member of the Packers' offensive line during the team's glory years under coach Vince Lombardi, when they won five NFL Championships including the first two Super Bowls. Often paired with fellow guard Jerry Kramer, he led the Packers' vaunted Lombardi power sweep running attack. Thurston was named to the 1961 and 1962 All-Pro teams. Prior to joining the Packers, Thurston played the 1958 season with the NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Along with two former Packer teammates—Herb Adderley and Forrest Gregg—Thurston is one of only three players in pro football history to play on six World Championship teams. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in January 1975.