McGee's most famous on field moments occurred in the first super bowl, when he caught two touchdown passes from Bart Starr on a day in which he was not even supposed to be playing. Although McGee put up stellar numbers in his 12 year career (345 receptions with an 18.2-yard average per catch and 50 touchdowns), he had caught only 4 passes that year. McGee was thrown into the starting lineup after the second drive of super bowl I after Boyd Dowler got hurt and could not play due to a shoulder injury. "I was just sitting there, dozing in the sun, and Lombardi yelled 'McGee get the hell in there!' " McGee told Lee Remmel, the team's historian and a local newspaper reporter in those days.
McGee was said to have told Dowler before the game not to get hurt because he "was'nt in very good shape." He was referring to breaking team curfue the night before by having a night on the town. At first, McGee could not even go in the game because he did not have a helmet, he left his in the locker room, so he had to borrow someone else's. The interesting thing about McGee, along with many other players in that day and age, was they way they lived their celebrity status lives off the field. Back then players would not only indulge themselves in nightlife festivities after the game to celebrate, it seemed that these festivities carried on throughout the week, all the way up until the morning before the game. McGee, along with guys like Joe Namath, Bobby Layne, Paul Hornung, and many others, had a knack for the "good life", indulging themselves in liqour, ladies, and late nights. McGee was once quoted, ""When it's third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers, and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time." This was just a testament to the way he lived and looked at life. He was known as a guy who would relieve the tension of a Packer team, under the stiff laws of Coach Lombardi, with his timely sense of humor. He was also known for his stubborn streak, which made it not so surprising that at 75 years old, he was trying to clear leaves of his roof. "It's hard to admit and distinguish the fact that you're no longer what you were, and you're no longer capable of certain activities," Jerry Kramer, who played with McGee for 11 seasons, said. "And I think we push the limit a little bit."
Players these days could not live the lives that many past players in that age did. With the physical and athletic abilities that the players have today, it is so important for guys to keep their body's in top shape not only in the off-season, but also in the regular season. I can attest to that myself, being a football player. I cant even imagine having to play a football game hungover, and McGee performed at an outstanding level after a night that probably included a couple to many shots of Jack. There is also the fact that the league under Roger Goodell has much stricter player conduct codes. As we have seen in the last year, guys don't get away with very much at all. Players from McGee's era talk about how back in their playing days, if a guy got pulled over for a DUI, one officer would drive them home while the other drove their car to safety.
McGee was a great character in a interesting time for the league. "I just lost my best friend," former teammate Paul Hornung said upon hearing about his death. He is obviously a man who will be missed, and hopefully, his life will be talked about for years to come.
(quotes taken from nfl.com)
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