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American football player (1934–2018) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Francis Skoronski[1] (March 5, 1934 – October 30, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers for 11 seasons.[2] He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers.
No. 76 | |
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Position: | Offensive tackle |
Personal information | |
Born: | Ansonia, Connecticut, U.S. | March 5, 1934
Died: | October 30, 2018 84) Middleton, Wisconsin, U.S. | (aged
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight: | 249 lb (113 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Fairfield Prep (Fairfield, Connecticut) |
College: | Indiana |
NFL draft: | 1956 / Round: 5 / Pick: 56 |
Career history | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Player stats at PFR |
Born in Ansonia, Connecticut, Skoronski grew up in Derby[1] with three brothers and a sister.[3] He went to high school at Fairfield College Preparatory School, graduating in 1951.[4] He then attended Admiral Billard Academy in New London for a year.[3] He played college football at Indiana University in Bloomington.[5] As a senior in 1955, he was the Hoosiers' most valuable player and averaged 50 minutes per game.[6]
Skoronski was selected in the fifth round of the 1956 NFL draft, 56th overall, by the Green Bay Packers.[7] He started at left tackle in his rookie season in 1956 under third-year head coach Lisle Blackbourn, and then served two years in the U.S. Air Force.[5][7] Skoronski returned to the team in 1959, the first season under head coach Vince Lombardi.[7]
Skoronski was the offensive left tackle and offensive captain on Lombardi's five NFL championship teams.[7] He played in the Pro Bowl following the 1966 season (and the first Super Bowl).[8]
Following his 11th season in the NFL, Skoronski retired in June 1969,[9][10] and was elected to the Packers Hall of Fame in 1976.[11] In 2017, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Skoronski to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017.[12]
Skoronski met his wife Ruth in college and they married in 1956. They had four children, three boys and a girl (Bob, Steve, Ron and Patti), and four grandchildren.[3][4]
He died of Alzheimer's disease on October 30, 2018, in Middleton, Wisconsin.[13][14][15]
His grandson, Peter Skoronski, played offensive tackle at Northwestern University and was picked by the Tennessee Titans 11th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.[16][17][18]