Vince Lombardi: Who the SUPER BOWL trophy is named after
February 07, 2021
Original Post from: by Mike Koehler on February 1st, 2010
Holding aloft the Lombardi Trophy is an iconic moment after every Super Bowl. This year, either the Colts or Saints will hold up the trophy, which has a storied history in the National Football League. The Lombardi Trophy is named for one of the league's greatest coaches.
Vince Lombardi: The Coach
The Lombardi Trophy is named for Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers from 1959 through the end of the 1967 season. Lombardi's hard-nosed style, combined with the early stars of the Packers like Bart Starr, established him as one of the best coaches in the early history of the league. Lombardi had a 105-35-6 record as an NFL head coach.
Vince Lombardi: Super Bowl History
A key reason the Super Bowl Trophy is named for Lombardi is because of the coach's success in the game. Lombardi was 9-1 in postseason play with the Packers, and his teams won the first two Super Bowls over the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs in 1967 and the Oakland Raiders in 1968. Lombardi's teams had already won NFL titles in 1965, 1966 and 1967.
History of the Lombardi Trophy
The pro football championship trophy was debuted in 1967, but it wasn't named after the coach until 1971, following his death in September 1970. The trophy was originally called the "Titletown Trophy" and was given to the Packers after the first contest between the AFL and NFL champions.
About the Lombardi Trophy
The sterling-silver trophy is topped with a full-scale football and is made by Tiffany and Co. Each trophy weighs seven pounds and takes four months to create. Each trophy is valued at $12,500.
Continued Interest in Vince Lombardi
Despite being dead for nearly 50 years, Vince Lombardi is still the subject of intense interest. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his son runs a popular website about the coach and speaks about him across the country. Lombardi was recently the subject of a popular book by David Maraniss, titled "When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi."
Source:
Vincelombardi.com: Biography of Vince Lombardi
Ravensnest.com: About the Lombardi Award