Garry Don "Donny" Anderson (born May 16, 1943, in Borger, Texas) is a former professional American football player who played nine years in the National Football League. A halfback and punter from Texas Tech, Anderson was the first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1965 NFL Draft, the seventh overall selection in the draft that included future hall-of-famers Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Joe Namath and Fred Biletnikoff.
Anderson began ...
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Garry Don "Donny" Anderson (born May 16, 1943, in Borger, Texas) is a former professional American football player who played nine years in the National Football League. A halfback and punter from Texas Tech, Anderson was the first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1965 NFL Draft, the seventh overall selection in the draft that included future hall-of-famers Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Joe Namath and Fred Biletnikoff.
Anderson began his career a year later in 1966, playing six seasons as #44 for the Packers.
In 1972 he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played his final three seasons.
While with the Packers, Anderson originated the concept of hang time in punting. Until Anderson, punters typically strived for maximum distance, with the NFL's leaders usually averaging 45 or more yards a punt. Punt returns varied, with an average of perhaps 5 yards per return. In 1967, Anderson worked instead at punting the ball higher, shortening the distance traveled but...
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