Vito “Babe” Parilli, who led the Green Bay Packers to a comeback victory in the first game ever played at what is now Lambeau Field, died July 15 in Denver, Colo.
Parilli played for the Packers from 1952 to 1953, and again from 1957 to 1958. In all, he played 15 NFL seasons. He was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 1993 and served as Joe Namath’s backup in 1969, his final season, when the New York Jets won Super Bowl III.
Although Parilli played extensively in his four seasons with the Packers, it was always in a job-sharing role.