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posted 05/29/01
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| Jim Flanigan |
Adding quality and depth to their defensive line, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with veteran free agent tackle Jim Flanigan, a seven-year professional, on a one-year contract, Andrew Brandt, the team's director of player finance announced today.
The 29-year-old Flanigan, a native of neighboring Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and the son of former Packers linebacker Jim Flanigan, Sr., had been a six-year starter for the Chicago Bears prior to being released last month.
"I am excited about agreeing to terms with Jim Flanigan," GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman said of the announcement. "He adds quality depth to our defensive line and brings an element of leadership and character to our team.
"We have played against Jim over the years and he has performed well against us. It will be nice to have him in the Green and Gold this time around. I believe he fits our style of defense since he is a player who relies on quickness and speed as opposed to pure size. We did this deal because we think he can help us win football games. It is an added benefit that he is a local guy who grew up knowing the Green Bay Packers and having a dad who played linebacker for us back in the late 60s."
Flanigan, 6-2 and 290 pounds, was a third-round draft selection by the Bears out of Notre Dame in 1994 (the 74th player chosen), and played in 108 games over his seven seasons in Chicago, with 88 starts, amassing 463 tackles, including 40.5 quarterback sacks for 284 yards in losses.
Flanigan, a starter since 1995, played in all 16 games in 2000 - with 14 starts - and closed out the season with 64 tackles, 30 of them solos, and 4 sacks.
In addition to bolstering the defensive line, Flanigan's signing adds a unique page to Packers history. He becomes only the second, second-generation Packer in team annals (his father, a linebacker, played four seasons for Green Bay - 1967-70). Defensive back Ron Pitts (1988-90) was the first, following his father, running back Elijah Pitts (1961-69, '71), a member of the Packer Hall of Fame, who helped Green Bay win five NFL titles and the first two Super Bowls.
The elder Flanigan, who has been a resident of Sturgeon Bay, since ending his playing career, was a second-round selection in Green Bay's 1967 draft (the 51st player chosen) - the last to be conducted by the late Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Packers. A United Press International all-rookie selection in '67, the former University of Pittsburgh standout went on to play in 40 games for the Green and Gold before being released following the 1970 season. He subsequently played for New Orleans in 1971 before calling it a career.
Flanigan the younger, both durable and productive, started all 16 games for three consecutive seasons (1997-98-99) and finished first or second on the Bears in sacks for five seasons in a row (1995-1999), emerging as the team leader in 1995 with a career-best 11.
As a collegian, he was a two-year starter at Notre Dame, gaining All-America honorable mention after starting the first five games at right end and finishing his senior season at right defensive tackle.
Earlier a Parade and USA Today All-American and Wisconsin Player of the Year at Southern Door High School (in Brussels), he played linebacker, fullback and kicker, rushing for 4,464 yards over his prep career and scoring 468 points on 59 touchdowns, 75 conversions and 13 field goals. He also recorded 518 tackles, 23 forced fumbles, 14 sacks and 5 interceptions.
Highly active on behalf of civic and charitable causes in the Chicago area through his James Flanigan Foundation, he was named USA Today Magazine's Most Caring Athlete in 1999 along with the NBA's Dikembe Motumbo. In addition to his other projects, he co-founded a newspaper, TIMEOUT!, featuring junior and high school athletics and academics, with former Bears player Frank Kmet.