Don Chandler
Donald Gene "Babe" Chandler (September 5, 1934 – August 11, 2011) was an American professional football player who served as a punter and placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, contributing to multiple championships during his career.[1][2] Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Chandler attended the University of Florida, where he played as a running back and punter from 1954 to 1955 after transferring from Bacone College in Oklahoma; in his senior year, he led the nation in punting average.[1][3] Selected by the Giants in the fifth round (57th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft, he debuted as a rookie on a team that won the NFL championship that season and secured six Eastern Conference titles during his nine years with New York from 1956 to 1964.[2][4] Traded to the Packers on January 12, 1965, in exchange for a third-round draft pick, Chandler became the team's first dedicated placekicking specialist and played a key role in three consecutive NFL championships from 1965 to 1967, including victories in Super Bowl I (as the first player to attempt an extra point in the game) and Super Bowl II (where he tied a then-record with four field goals).[4] Over his 154-game NFL career, he converted 94 of 161 field goal attempts (58.4 percent), 248 of 258 extra points (96.1 percent), and averaged 43.5 yards on 660 punts, scoring 530 total points.[1] Chandler earned first-team All-Pro honors in 1964, 1965, and 1967, was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1967 season, and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1960s as a punter.[4] He retired on July 13, 1968, and was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1975; he spent his later years in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he died at age 76.[4][2]Early Years
Childhood and Education
Donald Gene Chandler was born on September 5, 1934, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Ben F. Chandler and Frances Elizabeth Musgrove Chandler, who served as a homemaker.[6][7] His family relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, between 1940 and 1950, where he grew up in a supportive environment that fostered his interest in sports.[6] Chandler attended Cleveland Middle School in Tulsa before enrolling at Will Rogers High School, from which he graduated in 1952.[7] At Will Rogers, he excelled in multiple sports and played football for the school's Ropers team, where he began developing his skills as a kicker and punter through rigorous high school competition and local coaching.[8][9][2] These early experiences on the field laid the foundation for his later athletic pursuits. Following high school, Chandler attended Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, from 1952 to 1953, where he played football for the Bacone Warriors and was a member of their 1952 NJCAA national championship team that competed in the Rose Bowl.[10][11][8] He then transferred to the University of Florida.[1]College Football Career
Chandler began his college football journey at Bacone College in Oklahoma before transferring to the University of Florida in 1954.[3] At the University of Florida, he served as the punter and kicker for the Florida Gators during the 1954 and 1955 seasons, while also contributing as a halfback.[12] In his senior year of 1955, Chandler led Southeastern Conference punters with a 44.3-yard average on 22 punts, totaling 975 yards, and also topped national rankings in punting average.[13] That season, he delivered a record-setting 76-yard punt against the Auburn Tigers, a mark that tied for the second-longest in Gators history at the time.[14] These performances earned him All-Southeastern Conference honors as a punter.[15] Chandler graduated from the University of Florida in 1956. Following his collegiate career, he was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round (57th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft.[1]Professional Career
New York Giants Tenure
Don Chandler was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round (57th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft out of the University of Florida.[1] As a rookie, he debuted that season as the team's primary punter, appearing in 12 games and averaging 41.9 yards per punt on 59 attempts.[1] Chandler contributed to the Giants' successful campaign, which culminated in an NFL Championship victory over the Chicago Bears on December 30, 1956, by a score of 47-7 at Yankee Stadium; he handled kickoff duties and punted effectively in regular-season games leading up to the title win.[16] His strong leg provided reliable field position for the defense during the Giants' Eastern Conference dominance in the late 1950s. Over his first six seasons with the Giants (1956–1961), Chandler established himself as one of the league's top punters, playing in 70 games and maintaining a career average of approximately 43.5 yards per punt during this period.[1] He led the NFL in punts with 65 in 1958 and in punting yards with 2,859 that same year, while posting a high of 46.6 yards per punt in 1959.[1] Chandler appeared in five NFL Championship Games during his Giants tenure (1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1962), where his punting helped control field position, though the team only secured the 1956 title.[1] His consistency bolstered the Giants' special teams amid their contention in the Eastern Conference. In 1962, following the retirement of Pat Summerall, Chandler assumed placekicking duties in addition to punting, appearing in 14 games and converting 19 of 28 field goals (67.9%) for 104 points while averaging 40.6 yards per punt.[1] The following year, 1963, he led the NFL in scoring with 106 points, making 18 of 29 field goals (62.1%) and 52 of 56 extra points, highlighted by a 53-yard field goal against the Dallas Cowboys that tied the score late in a 34-27 victory.[1][17] Chandler's dual role enhanced the Giants' offensive output during their 1962 and 1963 playoff appearances, though they fell short in the NFL Championship Game each year. Chandler's tenure concluded after the 1964 season, in which he appeared in all 14 games but struggled with field goals, converting only 9 of 20 attempts for 54 points while averaging 45.6 yards per punt on 73 attempts.[1] His performance dip, combined with a rejected request for a part-time schedule to accommodate business interests in Oklahoma City, led the Giants to trade him to the Green Bay Packers on January 13, 1965, in exchange for a third-round draft pick.[18] Over nine seasons, Chandler played in 112 games for the Giants, amassing 23,019 punting yards and 269 points, significantly impacting the team's special teams during a competitive era.[1]Green Bay Packers Tenure
Don Chandler was acquired by the Green Bay Packers in January 1965 through a trade with the New York Giants, in exchange for a high future draft choice, as coach Vince Lombardi sought to bolster the team's kicking game.[18] This move reunited Chandler with Lombardi, who had previously coached in New York, providing a familiar foundation for his Packers tenure. Over three seasons from 1965 to 1967, Chandler appeared in 42 regular-season games, serving as both punter and placekicker, and contributed significantly to the team's dominance under Lombardi.[1] His prior experience with the Giants proved instrumental in adapting to the Packers' championship-caliber system.[4] Chandler's punting prowess was evident early, highlighted by a 90-yard punt against the San Francisco 49ers in October 1965, the longest of his career and the season. During his Packers years, he averaged approximately 41.9 yards per punt across 135 attempts, with no punts blocked, providing reliable field position for the defense. As a kicker, he converted 48 of 83 field goal attempts (57.8%) and 117 of 120 extra points (97.5%), including several long-range efforts up to 49 yards. In playoff games, his accuracy stood out, making 9 of 12 field goals (75%) and all 23 extra points across seven postseason contests, underscoring his clutch performance in high-stakes situations.[1][4] A pivotal moment came in the 1965 NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns, where Chandler's three field goals—from 22, 17, and 14 yards—accounted for 12 of Green Bay's 23 points in a 23-12 victory, securing the Packers' first title in his tenure. This win capped a postseason run that included his earlier overtime heroics in the Western Conference playoff against the Baltimore Colts. Chandler played key roles in the Packers' three consecutive NFL championships from 1965 to 1967, a feat not achieved since the early 1930s. He participated in Super Bowl I following the 1966 season, successfully kicking the first extra point in Super Bowl history during Green Bay's 35-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, and in Super Bowl II after 1967, where he set a lasting record by making four field goals (including from 43, 31, 20, and 12 yards) in a 33-14 triumph over the Oakland Raiders.[1][4]Achievements and Legacy
Awards and Honors
During his NFL career, Don Chandler earned selection to the 1967 Pro Bowl as a kicker, recognizing his standout performance that season.[4] He was also named to the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team as a punter, highlighting his consistency and impact over the era's premier competitions.[4] Additionally, Chandler received first-team All-Pro honors in 1967 from The Sporting News, along with selections in 1964 and 1965, underscoring his elite status during peak years with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.[1] Chandler's contributions were further honored through multiple Hall of Fame inductions. In 1975, he was enshrined in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame for his role in three NFL championships and two Super Bowls.[4] Earlier, in 1969, he joined the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a Gator Great, celebrating his college achievements as a punter and halfback.[19] In 2004, Chandler was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, acknowledging his roots and professional legacy as a native of Tulsa.[20] Reflecting his enduring influence on Oklahoma athletics, Chandler was designated as the punter on the Oklahoma Team of the Century by The Oklahoman in 2002, cementing his place among the state's all-time football greats.[21] These accolades collectively affirm Chandler's versatility and reliability as a special teams specialist, whose precise punting and kicking propelled team successes across collegiate and professional levels.Career Statistics and Records
Don Chandler played in 154 NFL games over 12 seasons from 1956 to 1967, primarily as a punter and placekicker for the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.[1] His career punting totals include 660 punts for 28,678 yards, yielding an average of 43.5 yards per punt, with a longest punt of 90 yards.[1] In kicking, he converted 94 of 161 field goal attempts (58.4% accuracy, longest 53 yards) and 248 of 258 extra points (96.1%).[1] With the Giants from 1956 to 1964, Chandler appeared in 106 games, punting 525 times for 23,019 yards (43.8 average).[1] He made 46 of 78 field goals (59.0%) and 131 of 138 extra points (94.9%) during this tenure.[1] In his three seasons with the Packers from 1965 to 1967, he played 48 games, recording 135 punts for 5,659 yards (41.9 average), 48 of 83 field goals (57.8%), and 117 of 120 extra points (97.5%).[1] His Packers performance included four field goals in Super Bowl II, a mark he shares for the most in a single Super Bowl game.[4] Chandler's punting average of 43.5 yards exceeded the NFL league average of approximately 41.8 to 42.5 yards per punt during his era (1956–1967), reflecting his consistency above contemporaries.[22] His career field goal percentage of 58.4% also surpassed typical league figures, which ranged from 46% to 56% annually in the late 1950s and early 1960s, rising to around 51% by 1967.[23]| Year | Team | Punts/Yards/Avg | FG Made/Att (%) | XP Made/Att (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | NYG | 59/2,473/41.9 | 0/0 (-) | 3/3 (100.0) |
| 1957 | NYG | 60/2,673/44.6 | 0/0 (-) | 0/0 (-) |
| 1958 | NYG | 65/2,859/44.0 | 0/0 (-) | 0/0 (-) |
| 1959 | NYG | 55/2,565/46.6 | 0/1 (0.0) | 2/2 (100.0) |
| 1960 | NYG | 31/1,256/40.5 | 0/0 (-) | 0/0 (-) |
| 1961 | NYG | 68/2,984/43.9 | 0/0 (-) | 0/0 (-) |
| 1962 | NYG | 55/2,233/40.6 | 19/28 (67.9) | 47/48 (97.9) |
| 1963 | NYG | 59/2,648/44.9 | 18/29 (62.1) | 52/56 (92.9) |
| 1964 | NYG | 73/3,328/45.6 | 9/20 (45.0) | 27/29 (93.1) |
| 1965 | GNB | 74/3,176/42.9 | 17/26 (65.4) | 37/38 (97.4) |
| 1966 | GNB | 60/2,452/40.9 | 12/28 (42.9) | 41/43 (95.3) |
| 1967 | GNB | 1/31/31.0 | 19/29 (65.5) | 39/39 (100.0) |