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1989 Green Bay Packers season

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1989 Green Bay Packers season
General managerTom Braatz
PresidentBob Harlan
Head coachLindy Infante
Home fieldLambeau Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
Results
Record10–6
Division place2nd NFC Central
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersQB Don Majkowski
WR Sterling Sharpe
FB Brent Fullwood
LB Tim Harris[1]

The 1989 Green Bay Packers season was their 71st overall and their 69th in the National Football League. The Packers finished with a 10–6 record, their best since 1972, but failed to make the playoffs. The team was often referred to as "The Cardiac Pack" due to several close-game wins. The 1989 Packers hold the NFL record for most one-point victories in a season with four. The team was coached by Lindy Infante and led by quarterback Don Majkowski, who attained his nickname "The Majik Man."

Offseason

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Draft

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The Green Bay Packers selected Tony Mandarich with their first pick of the 1989 NFL draft, passing on prospects such as Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders. Mandarich was a first-team All-American, an Outland Award finalist and a two-time Big Ten Lineman of the Year. Mandarich would later hold out most of the preseason, playing most of the regular season on special teams. Four years after signing Mandarich, the Packers cut him. ESPN rated Mandarich as the third biggest sports flop in the past 25 years.[2]

Main article: 1989 NFL draft
1989 Green Bay Packers draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 2 Tony Mandarich  Offensive tackle Michigan State
3 58 Matt Brock  Defensive end Oregon
3 74 Anthony Dilweg  Quarterback Duke
4 87 Jeff Graham  Quarterback Long Beach State
5 124 Jeff Query  Wide receiver Millikin
5 127 Vince Workman  Running back Ohio State
6 142 Chris Jacke *  Kicker UTEP
7 169 Mark Hall  Defensive end Southwestern Louisiana
8 198 Thomas King  Defensive back Southwestern Louisiana
8 206 Brian Shulman  Punter Auburn
9 225 Scott Kirby  Offensive tackle Arizona State
10 254 Ben Jessie  Cornerback Southwest Texas State
11 281 Cedric Stallworth  Cornerback Georgia Tech
12 310 Stan Shiver  Safety Florida State
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

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1989 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Matt Klassa Tackle Eastern Michigan
Tony Thompson Wide receiver Texas A&M

Personnel

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Staff

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1989 Green Bay Packers staff

Front office

  • President and chief executive officer – Bob Harlan
  • Executive vice-president of football operations – Tom Braatz

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive backs – Willie Peete
  • Wide receivers – Wayne "Buddy" Geis
  • Tight ends – Virgil Knight
  • Offensive line – Charlie Davis
  • Offensive assistant – Joe Clark
 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams – Howard Tippett

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Virgil Knight


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Roster

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1989 Green Bay Packers roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad


47 active, 7 inactive, 5 practice squad Reserve


Rookies in italics

Regular season

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Although the Packers failed to make the Playoffs, they recorded their best record since 1972. The Packers finished 10–6, placing them second in the NFC Central. The Minnesota Vikings also finished 10–6, but held the tiebreaker due to a better division record. The team finished with a 10–6 record for their first winning season since the strike shortened the 1982 season. It was also the first club to record 4 1-point victories in a season. The club was 6–2 at home and 4–4 on the road.[4] The Packers offense had success due to a strong passing game, headed by quarterback Don Majkowski. Majkowski finished first in the NFL in passing yards and completions. He earned a bid to the NFL Pro Bowl. Wide receiver Sterling Sharpe finished the season first in receptions, and second in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Sharpe would also earn a bid to the Pro Bowl.[5]

The Herschel Walker trade and the Packers

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On October 8, 1989, the Packers hosted the Dallas Cowboys, featuring star running back Herschel Walker. Four days later, the Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, the next team on the Packers' schedule. Walker's debut with the Vikings occurred three days after the trade, on October 15, 1989, against the Packers. The Packers faced Walker for a third time during the regular season, on November 26, 1989, when the Packers played the Vikings again. These regular season games between the Packers and Walker occurred in three different cities: Green Bay, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee.

The Instant Replay game

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Main article: Instant Replay Game

On November 5, 1989, the Packers beat the Bears 14–13, but not without controversy. Don Majkowski led the Packers to a comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass to Sterling Sharpe with less than a minute left to play. Initially the play was called a touchdown, but line judge Jim Quirk had called a penalty on Majkowski for being beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the pass. With a nervous and tense crowd at Lambeau Field, the call went up to the instant replay official, Bill Parkinson. Several minutes later the call came down and the touchdown was awarded as recorded by instant replay. The Lambeau faithful and Packer players erupted with joy because it marked the first time since 1984 that the Packers had beaten their long-time rivals. The Packers would later beat the Bears again in the season.[6] The game was broadcast on CBS with Dick Stockton and Dan Fouts on the call.

The last team to beat San Francisco

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On November 19, 1989, the Packers traveled to Candlestick Park and beat Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. It would be one of only two losses for the 49ers, and the last before the 49ers finished out the season 8–0, including a 55–10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. In that game, the Packers matched their win total from the previous season (4–12). Although regarded at the time as a fluke, Green Bay would proceed to win 13 of the next 15 contests with San Francisco over the next 21 seasons.[7]

Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 21–23 0–1 Lambeau Field 55,650
2 September 17 New Orleans Saints W 35–34 1–1 Lambeau Field 55,809
3 September 24 at Los Angeles Rams L 38–41 1–2 Anaheim Stadium 57,701
4 October 1 Atlanta Falcons W 23–21 2–2 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,647
5 October 8 Dallas Cowboys W 31–13 3–2 Lambeau Field 56,656
6 October 15 at Minnesota Vikings L 14–26 3–3 Metrodome 62,075
7 October 22 at Miami Dolphins L 20–23 3–4 Joe Robbie Stadium 56,624
8 October 29 Detroit Lions W 23–20 (OT) 4–4 Milwaukee County Stadium 53,731
9 November 5 Chicago Bears W 14–13 5–4 Lambeau Field 56,556
10 November 12 at Detroit Lions L 22–31 5–5 Pontiac Silverdome 44,324
11 November 19 at San Francisco 49ers W 21–17 6–5 Candlestick Park 62,219
12 November 26 Minnesota Vikings W 20–19 7–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 55,592
13 December 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 17–16 8–5 Tampa Stadium 58,120
14 December 10 Kansas City Chiefs L 3–21 8–6 Lambeau Field 56,694
15 December 17 at Chicago Bears W 40–28 9–6 Soldier Field 44,781
16 December 24 at Dallas Cowboys W 20–10 10–6 Texas Stadium 41,265

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

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Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Buccaneers 0 20 3023
Packers 7 0 7721

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys

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Week 5: Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 6 7 0013
Packers 10 7 7731

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 9

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1 234Total
Bears 3 0100 13
• Packers 7 007 14
  • Date: November 5
  • Location: Lambeau Field
  • Referee: Tom Dooley
  • TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Dan Fouts
Scoring summary
Q111:30GBDidier 24 yard pass from Majkowski (Jacke kick)GB 7–0
Q13:32CHIButler 25 yard field goalGB 7–3
Q39:32CHIButler 37 yard field goalGB 7–6
Q33:03CHIMuster 2 yard run (Butler kick)CHI 13–7
Q40:32GBSharpe 14 yard pass from Majkowski (Jacke kick)GB 14–13

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Week 14: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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See also: 1989 Kansas City Chiefs season
Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 0 21 0021
Packers 0 3 003

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 15 at Chicago Bears

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Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Packers 14 10 61040
Bears 7 7 14028

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Standings

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NFC Central
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Minnesota Vikings(3) 10 6 0 .625 6–2 8–4 362 356 W1
Green Bay Packers 10 6 0 .625 5–3 10–4 362 275 W2
Detroit Lions 7 9 0 .438 4–4 6–6 312 364 W5
Chicago Bears 6 10 0 .375 2–6 4–8 358 377 L6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 11 0 .313 3–5 5–7 320 419 L4

Season statistical leaders

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Awards and records

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Milestones

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Hall of Fame Inductions

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References

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  1. ^ Pro Football Reference; 1989 NFL Pro Bowlers
  2. ^ ESPN 25 Biggest Sports Flops
  3. ^ "All Time Coaches Database". Packers.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  4. ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 266
  5. ^ 1989 League Leaders – NFL Archived 2004-10-11 at the Wayback Machine from Pro-Football-Reference
  6. ^ "Majik" Act Still A Big Hit With Packers Fans Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine from 10/05/2004
  7. ^ See 1989 San Francisco 49ers season
  8. ^ The Football Database. Retrieved 2018-Dec-09.
  9. ^ 1989 Green Bay Packers Stats obtained 12/03/2006
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