Lew Carpenter Lewis Glen " Lew " Carpenter ( January 12 , 1932 – November 14 , 2010 ) was an American football player and coach . He played college football at the University of Arkansas and professionally for ten seasons in the NFL as a halfback and fullback with the Detroit Lions , Cleveland Browns , and Green Bay Packers . He played on three NFL Championship teams , with Detroit in 1953 and with Green Bay in 1961 and 1962 . After his playing career ended , Carpenter spent 31 years as an assistant coach in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings ( 1964 – 1966 ) , Atlanta Falcons ( 1967 – 1968 ) , Washington Redskins ( 1969 ) , St . Louis Cardinals ( 1970 – 1972 ) , Houston Oilers ( 1970 – 1974 ) , Green Bay Packers ( 1975 – 1985 ) , Detroit Lions ( 1987 – 1988 ) , and Philadelphia Eagles ( 1990 – 1994 ) . Carpenter also coached the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football in 1996 and at Southwest Texas State University . He concluded his 47 years of playing and coaching football at the end of the 1996 season . Scientific tests on his brain diagnosed post - mortem that he had an advanced case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy ( CTE ) . Early years and family . Carpenter was born to Verba Glen Carpenter and Edna Earl Pullam in Hayti , Missouri . He was raised in West Memphis , Arkansas , where he attended high school and played six - man football . His brother , Preston Carpenter ( 19342011 ) , married Jeanne Eytchison and the couple had three sons : Scott , Bruce , and Lewis Todd . In 1951 , Lew married Ann Holt . The couple had four daughters ; Cheryl Doane , Cathy , Lisa Prewitt and Rebecca . College career . While at the University of Arkansas ( 1949 – 1953 ) , Carpenter starred at the halfback position for the Razorbacks . As a senior , he played in the Blue - Grey College All - Star Game . Carpenter also played wide receiver , tight end , and served as back - up quarterback during his college years . Carpenter received varsity letter s in football , basketball , and baseball . He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology . Carpenter played baseball after his 1953 senior year in college in the minor ( then class B ) Carolina League , as a pitcher , with the Winston - Salem Cardinals . During this season he had a batting average of . 286 under manager Jimmy Brown . Scouts for the NFL also offered him a contract and football beat baseball in this circumstance . NFL playing career . Carpenter ' s primary positions played : defensive half back , fullback , halfback , and offensive half back / running back . Carpenter was listed at a height of 6 foot 2 inches and had a playing weight from 205 to 220 pounds and was considered fast afoot . Detroit Lions . In 1953 , Carpenter was drafted by the National Football League for the Detroit Lions in the eighth round of the draft , 97th selection . The very first time in game play he got the football , he scored a 73 - yard touchdown on an interception . For the next three seasons Carpenter played as a running back . He was the leading rusher and won his first world championship in 1953 . In 1954 , Carpenter led Detroit with 476 rushing yards and in 1955 , 543 yards . He helped the Detroit Lions Get back into the 1954 NFL Championship game , by winning the NFL Western Conference , before bowing to the 1954 NFL Champion Cleveland Browns . Over his three seasons with the Lions , he rushed for 1 , 043 yards , with 60 pass receptions ( 457 yards gained and 4 TDs ) , and scored 10 touchdowns ( TDs ) . Carpenter ' s football career was placed on hold for the 1956 Season , when he was drafted by the United States Army . He served honorably during an 18 - month tour in Germany . Cleveland Browns . In 1957 , after returning from Germany , Carpenter found himself traded to the Cleveland Browns where he played with Preston Carpenter , his brother . While with the Browns he helped them get into the 1957 NFL Championship Game , as The Browns had won the Eastern Conference with a record of 9 - 2 - 1 before bowing to the Detroil Lions in the Title Contest world championships . In 1957 , the Browns also drafted fullback Jim Brown out of Syracuse University , who became the NFL ' s leading rusher with 942 yards in a 12 - game regular season . Once again at the top of the division at 9 win , 2 loss and 1 tied game season , they advanced back to the Championship Game against Detroit . But the Lions dominated from start to finish , causing six turnovers and allowing the Browns ' two quarterbacks ( Tommy O ' Connell and Milt Plum ) only 95 yards passing in a 59 to 14 major loss . This was the Lions ' last league championship . On November 3 , 1957 , during the third quarter , Browns Vs . Redskins game , the rookie Brown had one of his good days . The big fullback Brown carried the ball 21 times with 109 yards . Brown and Lew Carpenter " shared the burden in the final time consuming march 49 yards " for the touchdown . Later in the fourth quarter , the Browns were in trouble with less than 5 minutes to play . Jim Brown carried the ball four times while Lew carried it eight times ( the last six carries in a row ) . With a 4th down and 8 yards to go , the Browns needed a first down . Lew went " sweeping his left end behind good blocking carrying for 12 yards . " The Browns had its first place title and the win of 21 to 17 . In 1958 , Jim Brown ran for 1 , 527 yards , almost twice as much as any other running back . In his nine seasons in the league , he crossed the 1 , 000 yard barrier seven times . Lew Carpenter and his brother Preston , both backs , supported Brown in his legendary time with the Cleveland Browns . On the last winning game of the 1958 season , ( December 7 , 1958 a 21 to 14 win over the Eagles ) during the first quarter , Brown racked up 138 yards in 21 plays . " Sharing the rushing laurels was Lew Carpenter , who picked his way for 100 yards in 21 carries . Finally the Eagles had to concentrate on the hard nosed runner from Arkansas . . . " Carpenter was now a valuable player and wanted by other teams . Green Bay Packers . In 1959 , Coach Vince Lombardi got a key trade by getting Lew Carpenter to come to Green Bay , Wisconsin and to play for the Packers . While with the Packers he helped them win two world championships . Carpenter ' s first game under Lombardi came quickly . On September 27 , 1959 , a sellout crowd packed Green Bay ' s Lambeau Field for the first Packer game of the regular season against the Chicago Bears . On the Packers first offensive play , a new Lombardi technique was seen . " Packer halfback Paul Hornung took a handoff from the quarterback , ran to his left and threw the ball downfield to a wide open receiver near the goal line . " The crowd jumped to its feet , cheering at this new tactic ! Then , the receiver , " Lew Carpenter dropped the ball . " At halftime in the locker room , Coach Lombardi concluded his pep talk with , " " And now , men of Green Bay , step aside . Make way for the mightiest Green Bay team in years ! A Winning team ! Go get ' em , Green Bay ! " " In response , Carpenter and the rest of the Packers slammed their lockers , growled loudly , and assaulted the field in determination . During the rest of the game , the Bears watched Carpenter closely , seeing him as a threat . The Packers adjusted tactics and used Carpenter repeatedly as bait while another player got the critical touchdown . At the end of the game , the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears by a score of 9 to 6 . The Packer players raised Lombardi to their shoulders and ran with him in victory . " We ' re on our way Now ! " shouted Lombardi . After winning their first three games , the Packers lost the next five due to injuries , including Carpenter ' s . Returning , Carpenter and his team finished strong by winning the rest of the season . The 7 win & 5 loss record represented the Packers ' first winning season since 1947 . Rookie head coach Lombardi was named Coach of the Year . For the " Pack " this was the start of the " Glory Years . " The next year , the Packers , led by Paul Hornung ' s 176 points , and assisted by running back Carpenter , won the NFL West title and played in the NFL Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles at Philadelphia . In a see saw game , the Packers trailed the Eagles by four points late in the game , when Chuck Bednarik tackled Jim Taylor just nine yards short of the goal line as time ran out . The Packers claimed that they did not " lose " that game ; they were simply behind in the score when time ran out on them . The Packers returned to the NFL Championship game the following season and faced the New York Giants in the first league title game to be played in Green Bay . The Packers scored 24 second - quarter points assisted by Carpenter , including a championship - record 19 by Paul Hornung , on special loan from the Army ( one touchdown , four extra - points and three field goals ) , powering the Packers to a 37 to 0 major win over the Giants , their first NFL Championship since 1944 . The Packers stormed back in the 1962 season , jumping out to a 10 win & 0 loss start , on their way to a 13 wins & 1 loss season . This consistent level of success would lead to Lombardi ' s Packers becoming one of the most prominent teams of their era , and even to their being featured as the face of the NFL on the cover of " Time " on December 21 , 1962 , as part of the magazine ' s cover story on " The Sport of the ' 60s " and Lew Carpenter is mentioned in the article as one of the Packer ' s star players . Shortly after Time ' s article , the Packers faced the Giants in a much more brutal championship game than the previous year , but the Packers prevailed on the surprising foot of Jerry Kramer and the determined running of Jim Taylor . The Packers defeated the Giants in New York , 16 to 7 . Carpenter re - injured himself but finished the game . During this season Carpenter assisted other players in their game , gaining the informal title of " coach . " In 1963 , Paul Hournung was suspended for the season for betting on football . This caused Carpenter and others to make more than extra efforts for the team . While the Packers had a respectful 11 win and 1 loss season , it was at great cost . Many players injured themselves and re - injured themselves like Carpenter . This season was a frustration for Carpenter for he played his heart and body to the point of exhaustion . Coach Lombardi placed Carpenter as a reserve running back , but had to play him time after time for the winning effort . After four full seasons of play with the Packers , Carpenter concluded his professional football playing days at the end of the 1963 season . Carpenter played 123 professional football games , He finished his 10 year career with 2 , 025 yards and 16 touchdowns on 468 carries . He also caught 87 passes for 782 yards . Coaching career . In 1964 Carpenter became one of the assistant coaches of the Minnesota Vikings . He served in various coaching positions and teams over the next 30 years . These included receivers coach , passing game coach and offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Redskins . Carpenter coached alongside Vince Lombardi then coached for St . Louis Cardinals ( now the Arizona Cardinals ) , the Houston Oilers , the Green Bay Packers , the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles . Along the way , he mentored many upcoming Pro Bowl players . Minnesota Vikings . Carpenter coached several Vikings who were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame , Fran Tarkenton and Carl Eller . Atlanta Falcons . In late 1966 , Carpenter became one of the first coaches on the new NFL Atlanta Falcons franchise , the 23rd professional football club and the 15th NFL franchise . In 1967 , the Falcons played in the new Atlanta - Fulton County Stadium . The first preseason game was held on August 1 , 1966 , before a crowd of 26 , 072 at Atlanta Stadium . Under Head Coach Norb Hecker , the Falcons became the only expansion team in history not to finish in last place their first year . The Falcons finished seventh out of eight teams in the NFL ' s Eastern Conference . Carpenter helped coach the Falcons first victory on November 20 , 1966 , defeating the New York Giants , 27 to 16 , at Yankee Stadium . Tommy Nobis , first draft pick and coached by Carpenter was voted to the Pro Bowl and named 1966 Rookie of the Year . Carpenter participated in many pivotal events for the newly created American football team called the Atlanta Falcons . 1967 was disappointing for the Falcons . They finished their season at 1 – 12 – 1 . Tommy Nobis ( LB ) was named to his second Pro Bowl and Junior Coffey ( RB ) ended the year with 722 yards to finish as the eighth leading rusher in the league and the Falcons ’ Most Valuable Player and Carpenter helped coach them both . 1968 - The former Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings Norm Van Brocklin was named to replace Norb Hecker as Falcon ' s head coach after only three games of the 1968 season . Carpenter worked with Van Brocklin , who he knew as a player and a coach . Carpenter helped coach two future Georgia Sports Hall of Fame winners . These were Tommy Nobis and Claude Humphry . Washington Redskins . In 1969 , the Washington Redskins hired Vince Lombardi , who gained fame with the Green Bay Packers , to be their new head coach . Lombardi reorganized the Redskins and brought along a couple of coaches he worked with before , including Bill Austin for the offensive line and Lew Carpenter for the receivers . Carpenter was listed as the Packers passing game coordinator and offensive coordinator Coach over various seasons . Lombardi led the Redskins to a 7 win & 2 loss record , their best since 1955 , but died of cancer on the eve of the 1970 season . Carpenter was in the running to replace Lombardi as head coach , but Redskins assistant coach Bill Austin ( the former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach ) was chosen instead during 1970 and produced a record of 6 – 8 . Carpenter decided to coach elsewhere . Carpenter coached only one season with the Redskins as the receivers and tight ends coach . His coaching and efforts had an influence on the 1969 season and future game play . Those Redskins who became inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame include Sonny Jurgensen in 1983 , Charley Taylor in 1984 , Bobby Mitchell in 1983 and Sam Huff in 1982 were helped in one way or the other by Carpenter . Carpenter ' s General Manager during his assistant coaching tenure was George Preston Marshall who was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969 . One of the Redskin ' s assistant coaches who worked with Carpenter , Mike McCormack was inducted in 1984 . Vince Lombardi , the unforgettable coach , was inducted in 1971 . St . Louis Cardinals . The football club St . Louis Cardinals moved to St . Louis , Missouri , in 1960 and stayed there until 1987 . Then the franchise moved to Tempe , Arizona and became the Arizona Cardinals . When Carpenter got there in 1970 the club had many nicknames such as , the " football Cardinals , " " Big Red " , " Gridbirds " or " Cardiac Cards " to avoid confusion with the baseball St . Louis Cardinals . " Coach Lew " went to St . Louis as a receivers and tight end coach for head coach Bob Holloway . Two brothers , Charles W . Bidwell , Jr . and William V . Bidwell ( sons of the 1933 - 1947 Cardinal franchise owner Charles W . Bidwell , Sr . and the 1947 – 1962 owner , the widow , Mrs . Violet Bidwell ) had joint custody of the franchise from 1962 to 1972 . That was the year William V . Bidwell took sole control as managing general partner and made many changes in the coaching staff and players . Carpenter did work with and help coach future Pro Football Hall of Fame winners during his time with the Cardinals . These included Dan Dierdorf inducted in 1996 , Jackie Smith inducted in 1994 , Larry Wilson inducted in 1978 and Roger Wehrli inducted in 2007 . Houston Oilers . In 1973 , Carpenter ' s first coaching season there , the Oilers won only 1 game during the entire season . This was a 31 to 27 win over the Baltimore Colts . On a brighter note , Elvin Bethea won his 3rd Pro Bowl team spot . In 1974 , the Oilers won their season opener at home by defeating the San Diego Chargers with a 21 to 14 win . The 1974 season was the best year with a 7 win & 7 loss season . And best of all , they defeated their rival Cleveland Browns for the first time ever with a 28 to 24 victory . Carpenter was the receivers and tight ends coach brought in by the new Oiler general manager Sid Gilman to work with head coach Bill Peterson and stayed during Gilman ' s tenure . After Peterson was fired in October 1973 , Gilman took over as head coach . Gillman was inducted as a coach into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 . Carpenter worked with and helped coach future Pro Football Hall of Fame winners during his time the Oilers . These include Elvin Bethea inducted in 2003 and Ken Houston inducted in 1986 . Head coach Sid Gilman was inducted in 1989 . Green Bay Packers . Carpenter was the receivers and tight ends coach for the Green Bay Packers under head coaches ( HC ) Bart Starr ( 1975 – – 1983 ) and Forrest Gregg ( 1984 – 1987 ) from 1975 to 1985 . Poor personnel decisions typified this Packer time period . A notorious example includes the 1974 trade in which Dan Devine ( HC 1971 – 1974 ) acting as GM sent five 1975 and 1976 draft picks ( two first - rounders , two second - rounders and a third rounder ) to the Los Angeles Rams for aging quarterback John Hadl , who would spend only 1½ seasons in Green Bay . This continued in the 1989 , when players such as Barry Sanders , Deion Sanders , and Derrick Thomas were available , but the Packers chose offensive lineman Tony Mandarich with the second overall pick in the NFL draft . Though rated highly by nearly every professional scout at the time , Mandarich ' s performance failed to meet expectations . ESPN has rated Mandarich as the third " biggest sports flop " in the last 25 years . This must have been a frustrating time for Carpenter but he focused on the basics and coached on for his beloved Packers . Carpenter worked with and / or coached with the following Pro Football Hall of Famers during his coaching tenure with the Packers . These include coach Bart Starr who was inducted as a player in 1977 , coach Forrest Gregg who was inducted as a player in 1977 and James Lofton , inducted in 2003 . Detroit Lions . Carpenter was the Detroit Lions receivers and tight ends coach for 1987 and 1988 . He worked with head coaches Darry Rogers and Wayne Fontes . At the end of the 1988 season , Fontes hired Mouse Davis and June Jones as assistants and installed the Run & Shoot offense . This required the letting go of Carpenter and other assistant coaches . Fontes would later abandon the Run & Shoot offense . Carpenter worked with and / or helped coach the following Pro Football Hall of Famers . These include Lem Barney inducted in 1992 , Barry Sanders inducted in 2004 and coach Dick LeBeau inducted as a player in 2010 . Philadelphia Eagles . Carpenter was the Eagles wide receivers coach from 1990 to 1992 and the wide receivers / tight ends coach in 1993 and 1994 . Carpenter again coached James Lofton . Later coaching . In 1995 , Carpenter went back to Southwest Texas State University , now known as Texas State University – San Marcos and was the running backs coach under head coach Jim Bob Helduser . In 1989 , Carpenter had coached at the Southwest Texas State University as a backfield coach under head coach John O ’ Hara . In 1996 , Carpenter coached the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football . Death and honors . In 1996 , after 47 years of playing and coaching professional NFL football , Carpenter reluctantly retired from the game he loved because of his health . On November 14 , 2010 , with his family at his side , he died from pulmonary fibrosis . Carpenter ' s last public appearance was in Green Bay ' s Lambeau Field for the " Alumni Weekend " on September 16 and 17 , 2010 . Carpenter was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 , and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 . The " Lewis Carpenter University of Arkansas Scholarship " has been established in his memory through Chase Bank in New Braunfels , Texas . CTE . Carpenter left his brain for science . Always interested in helping and teaching , he gave the last part of himself to test for chronic traumatic encephalopathy ( CTE ) . This is a degenerative disease that while primarily associated with boxing , it can be found as a result concussive or sub - concussive injuries from contact sports and or head trauma from accidents or similar combinations over a period of time . In the first week of December 2011 , test results confirmed that Carpenter had an advanced case of CTE . On December 21 , 2009 , the National Football League Players Association announced that it would collaborate with the CSTE at the Boston University School of Medicine to support the Center ' s study of repetitive brain trauma in athletes . Additionally , in 2010 the National Football League gave the CSTE a $ 1 million grant with no strings attached . In media . In the 2009 book by John Eisenberg , " That First Season : How Vince Lombardi Took the Worst Team in the NFL and Set It on the Path to Glory , " Lew Carpenter is mentioned on 30 pages of its 304 hardback pages . Carpenter participated in a 2001 reunion documentary on Vince Lombardi and his Green Bay Packers called " With Love & Respect : A Reunion of the Lombardi Green Bay Packers . "