One of the greatest football coaches of all time, Vincent Thomas Lombardi (1913–1970) was born in Brooklyn, New York, and inspired his players to chase perfection and catch excellence.

Lombardi's Green Bay Packers won NFL Championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, and 1967—an achievement never duplicated in pro football history.

“If winning isn't everything,” he asked, “why do they keep score?”

A taskmaster, his practices featured dreaded grass drills and grueling physical training. “If you cheat on the practice field, you'll cheat in the game,” he said, “and if you cheat in the game, you'll cheat the rest of your life.”

“He treated us all alike... like dogs,” joked Hall of Famer Henry Jordan. “When Coach Lombardi says to sit down, I don't even look for a chair.”

A man of strong faith, Lombardi believed in discipline, sacrifice, and hard work. “There's only one way to succeed—give it everything. I do, and I demand that my players do.”

His players loved him. With unmatched skill as a motivator, he transformed benchwarmer Bart Starr into one of the greatest quarterbacks in history.

“He made us all better than we thought we could be,” said teammate Jerry Kramer. “I'll always feel sorry for those players who never had the chance to play for Coach Lombardi.”

“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It's something we call heart power,” Lombardi said. “Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.”

And there is nothing stronger than heart power.