Max McGee played for the Green Bay Packers for 13 years and was nearing the end of his career when his team made the first Super Bowl in 1967. He only had four receptions all season, and he didn't expect to play in the game (which didn't really matter culturally as much as it does now)—so, naturally, he went out drinking the night before. He drank a lot. And, as what tends to happen when you drink hard before an important event, the hangover came back to almost bite McGee in the ass. From his 2007 obit in the New York Times:
McGee had only four receptions for 91 yards during the 1966 regular season. He did not plan to play in the title game against the Chiefs because he violated the team curfew and spent the night before partying.
Boyd Dowler separated a shoulder on the Packers’ second drive, and Lombardi summoned McGee. He had to borrow a helmet because he left his in the locker room. A few plays later, McGee made a one-handed snare of a pass from Bart Starr and ran 37 yards to score.
“When it’s third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time,” McGee said.
That's a quote for the day!
Anyway, the video above nicely illustrates the tale of this hungover hero, who must have needed all the aspirin in the world after that game.
[H/T: ClipNation]
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