As a motivator, winner, and a builder of character on the athletic field, Vince Lombardi remains the gold standard of football coaching. When Lombardi took over as Packers coach in 1959, the once-proud franchise, which under Curly Lambeau had won six NFL championships between 1929 and 1944, had posted a losing record in 11 straight seasons, including a 1-10-1 mark in 1958. Lombardi immediately built a winning team, capturing NFL titles in 1961, 1962, and 1965, and the first two Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967. Born in Brooklyn in 1913, Lombardi – who was the Giants’ offensive coordinator from 1954 to 1958 and helped that franchise win the 1956 NFL Championship – emphasized running-oriented, hard-nosed football and simple, perfectly-executed plays. His signature offensive play was his power sweep, which he had first employed with the Giants. Lombardi went 9-1 in the playoffs as head coach and the Super Bowl trophy was renamed after him following his death in 1970.