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."
| 1989 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| President | Bob Harlan |
| General manager | Tom Braatz |
| Head coach | Lindy Infante |
| Home stadium | Lambeau Field Milwaukee County Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–6 |
| Division place | 2nd NFC Central |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | QB Don Majkowski WR Sterling Sharpe FB Brent Fullwood LB Tim Harris |
| |
Offseason
Draft
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.
| 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
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Klassa | Tackle | Eastern Michigan |
| Tony Thompson | Wide receiver | Texas A&M |
Personnel
Staff
| Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
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 (ST)
| Practice squad
Reserve
47 active, 7 inactive, 5 practice squad |
Regular season
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. 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.
The Herschel Walker trade and the Packers
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
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. The game was broadcast on CBS with Dick Stockton and Dan Fouts on the call.
The last team to beat San Francisco
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.
Schedule
| 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
Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Packers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: September 10, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 60 °F (16 °C)
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Pat Haden
- [1]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 4: vs. Atlanta Falcons
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Packers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Date: October 1, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 76 °F (24 °C)
- Referee: Dick Hantak
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Randy Cross
- [2]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Packers | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: October 8, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 39 °F (4 °C)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Brant and Dan Jiggetts
- [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 6 at Minnesota Vikings
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Vikings | 0 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 26 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: October 15, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist and Terry Bradshaw
- [4]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 8: vs Detroit Lions
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Packers | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee
- Date: October 29, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 53,731
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Randy Cross
- Box score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 9 vs Chicago Bears
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
| Packers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: November 5, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 47 °F (8 °C)
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Dan Fouts
- [5]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Packers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: December 10, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 23 °F (−5 °C)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Donovan and Jimmy Cefalo
- [6]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15 at Chicago Bears
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 14 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 40 |
| Bears | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: December 17, 1989
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 8 °F (−13 °C)
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
- [7]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standings
| 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
- Passing yards: Don Majkowski 4,318 yards
- Passing touchdowns: Don Majkowski 27 TDs
- Rushing yards: Brent Fullwood, 821 yards
- Rushing touchdowns: Brent Fullwood, 5 TDs
- Receiving yards: Sterling Sharpe, 1,423 yards
- Receiving touchdowns: Sterling Sharpe, 12 TDs
- Points: Chris Jacke, 108 points
- Kickoff return yards: Vince Workman, 547 yards
- Punt return yards: Jeff Query, 247 yards
- Sacks: Tim Harris, 19.5 sacks
- Interceptions: Dave Brown, 6 interceptions
Awards and records
- Sterling Sharpe, NFL leader in receptions (90)
- Sterling Sharpe, second in NFL in receiving yards (1,423)
Milestones
- Don Majkowski, first 4,000 yard passing season
- Sterling Sharpe, first 1,000 yard receiving season
Hall of Fame Inductions
- In 1989 Packer great Willie Wood was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Zeke Bratkowski and Ron Kostelnik were inducted to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
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