Ron Wolf told reporters he knew he had his man the first time he interviewed Mike Holmgren for the Packers head coach’s job back in 1992.
“There were three people I interviewed for the job. Bill Parcells was one of the people,” Wolf said. “All you have to do is listen to (Holmgren). Once you hear him, it’s over.”
Wolf and Holmgren forged one of the game’s top general manager/head coach relationships, and it led to a decade of winning and a Super Bowl championship. Tonight, Wolf will present Holmgren for induction into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, and Wolf and Holmgren spoke to the media prior to Saturday night’s Hall of Fame banquet at Lambeau Field.
Holmgren said three factors led him to accept the job when Wolf offered it: “One, it was Ron. I realized for a young coach I can’t do any better. Secondly, the Green Bay mystique; we all know about Bart Starr and Jim Taylor and to be able to be the coach of the Green Bay Packers was something special. Lastly, to take over something a little broken and fix it, that appealed to me.”
Wolf reminded reporters that in the 24 years after “Lombardi left, there were four winning seasons. (Holmgren) came here and he never had a losing season. To me, that’s his legacy,” Wolf said.
Holmgren waxed nostalgic about his years in Green Bay.
“This place is unique. You thank (the fans) for their support. They love this football team. This type of set up could never happen again in this day and age,” Holmgren said.
He also said he had not spoken with former quarterback Brett Favre about tonight’s ceremony, but Holmgren said he had received a text message from Favre and “he wished me well tonight. Time will heal anything. Give it a little time and it should work out,” Holmgren added.
Packers.com will update this story tonight following the banquet.
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