Ray Nitschke, University of Illinois fullback, on Sept. 5, 1958, with the 1958 All-Stars. (Associated Press)

Ray Nitschke of the Green Bay Packers, December 5, 1963. (Associated Press)

Ray Nitschke, linebacker of the Green Bay Packers shown on the sidelines during a game in Green Bay, Wis. on Dec. 9, 1971. (Associated Press)

Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke (66) lowers his head as he is honored during pre-game ceremonies at the Packers-Chicago Bears game in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Dec. 12, 1971. Nitschke, a veteran of 14 years with the Green Bay team, is holding the hand of his son, Richard. (Associated Press)

Green Bay Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke drops back in pass coverage during a 34-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Los Angeles Coliseum. (National Football League)

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke in a 34-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Coliseum. (National Football League)

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke on the sidelines in a 33-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl. (National Football League)

Oakland Raiders running back Hewitt Dixon, #35, is chased by Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke, #66, during Super Bowl II, a 33-14 Packers victory on January 14, 1968, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida (National Football League)

Oakland's Hewitt Dixon, #35, is upended by Green Bay's Ray Nitschke, #66, during the first period of the Super Bowl in Miami, Fla., Jan. 14, 1968. (Associated Press)

Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke watches from the sidelines during a 10-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on November 28, 1965, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (National Football League)

Ray Nitschke (66) linebacker of the Green Bay Packers poses in a 1973 photo. (Associated Press)

A studio portrait of Ray Nitschke. (AP Photo/Michael Burr)

A display featuring Jim Brown and Ray Nitschke jerseys can be seen at the Pro Football Hall of Fame display at the Super Bowl XLVI NFL Experience at the Indiana Convention Center on February 1, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (AP Photo/Scott Boehm)