Packers Sign Freeman....

[Pack93z]

To retire as a Packer..... As it should be.... :thumbsup:

My favorite Free moment in addition to the rain catch is the diving catch with the cast on vs. Bears... over the goaline.

JSONLINE update blog....

FRIDAY, June 15, 2007, 9:40 a.m.
By Lori Nickel

Freeman to retire as a Packer
The Green Bay Packers signed former receiver Antonio Freeman to an NFL contract, a source with knowledge of the signing confirmed Friday morning.

The Packers and Freeman agreed to the deal so that he may retire from the NFL officially as a Packer.

Freeman was once quarterback Brett Favre's favorite target back in the Packers Super Bowl years, having led the Packers in receiving from 1996 to 1999.

In eight seasons in Green Bay, Freeman caught 431 passes, fifth most all-time by a Packer behind Sterling Sharpe (595), James Lofton (530), Don Hutson (488) and Boyd Dowler (448).

In 2002, Freeman played for Philadelphia before he returned to an injury-plagued Packers once again. In his final year with the Packers, 2003, Freeman caught 14 passes for 141 yards. He signed on with Miami in 2004 but was released in the roster cut down in training camp.

Freeman will best be remembered for two things: his coming out party in 1996 when he earned the starting job in camp and then went on to catch 56 passes for 933 yards and 9 touchdowns, despite breaking his left forearm on Oct. 27. The injury required surgery and caused him to miss four games and he had to play the rest of the Super Bowl championship season with a protective cast.

He also made that miraculous catch in a downpour in Lambeau Field on Monday Night football against the Packers bitter rivals, Minnesota. On Nov. 6, 2000, the Packers and Vikings were tied at 20. Favre threw downfield but the ball bounced off Vikings cornerback Cris Dishman. Knowing the ball was still live when nearly everyone else on the field and in the stands thought it was dead, Freeman snatched the ball, recollected himself at the 15 yard line and raced into the end zone for the 43-yard touchdown completion. The Packers stunned everyone with the 26-20 victory in overtime.

Freeman, known by everyone on the team as 'Free', is 35.

 

[digsthepack]

A very underrated player...and as tough as they come. Here is a guy who never really had the wheels, but had one of the sweetest arrays of double moves that consistently got him WIDE open.

I honestly have a feeling the James Jones will be a similar player....measureables maybe not the best, but highly productive, and tougher than hell.

Good for Free.

 

[all about da packers]

It's a nice thing to see.

 

[Pack93z]

HE DID WHAT

 

[Lare]

I'm just glad we finally signed one free agent on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage. :thumbsup:

 

[Green_Bay_Packers]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

 

[cheesey]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

(He's not signed to play.........he played for the Packers years ago, and wanted to retire a Packer, so it's just for show)

 

[cheesey]

I'm just glad we finally signed one free agent on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage. :thumbsup:

Maybe they could move him to tight end...........heck, sitting on the bench he would be doing almost as much as Bubba did last year! :rotflmao:

 

[Lare]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

(He's not signed to play.........he played for the Packers years ago, and wanted to retire a Packer, so it's just for show)

Um,...... I think we all know that cheesey. Just trying to add a little humor here. :rotflmao:

As to where else he may help, we probably shouldn't go there. In some people's opinions, there's several positions where he may actually be an upgrade. :thumbsup:

 

[cheesey]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

(He's not signed to play.........he played for the Packers years ago, and wanted to retire a Packer, so it's just for show)

Um,...... I think we all know that cheesey. Just trying to add a little humor here. :rotflmao:

Lare...........GBP is from England and he's kind of new to our football. I was writting it for his comsumption.

 

[Lare]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

(He's not signed to play.........he played for the Packers years ago, and wanted to retire a Packer, so it's just for show)

Um,...... I think we all know that cheesey. Just trying to add a little humor here. :rotflmao:

Lare...........GBP is from England and he's kind of new to our football. I was writting it for his comsumption.

Dang it cheesey, you're so fast on the keyboard I can't even get an edit in crosswise! :thumbsup:

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

It took him awhile to realize he was retired.

Edit: He retirement was assured when he dropped a third down pass that hit him in the chest early during the Eagle playoff game. Brett never went back to him the rest of the game.

Overall you have to rember the good games the toughness of playing with a broken jaw and a broken arm. He did very well for a third round pick.

He had a good career.

 

[cheesey]

yeah that must good for the Packers.

(He's not signed to play.........he played for the Packers years ago, and wanted to retire a Packer, so it's just for show)

Um,...... I think we all know that cheesey. Just trying to add a little humor here. :rotflmao:

Lare...........GBP is from England and he's kind of new to our football. I was writting it for his comsumption.

Dang it cheesey, you're so fast on the keyboard I can't even get an edit in crosswise! :thumbsup:

The fastest fingers in the West!!! :rotflmao:

 

[all about da packers]

I'm just glad we finally signed one free agent on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage. :thumbsup:

:rotflmao:

You must be feeling much more relaxed with TT as GM now, Lare.

 

[PackerLegend]

HE DID WHAT

man that was great I wont ever forget that catch. It was amazing watching that game as it was played as it still is now.

 

[cheesey]

The presence of mind that Free had to take that ball off his back and run it in will keep it as one of the greatest finishes to a Packer game to remember!

 

[cyoung]

He was an awesome Wide Receiver, talented as the best, but underrated.

 

[Lare]

HE DID WHAT

man that was great I wont ever forget that catch. It was amazing watching that game as it was played as it still is now.

I agree, this gets my vote for the greatest catch I've ever seen. I couldn't believe it when it happened, and am still amazed watching it today.

 

[Devil_Doc]

Too bad he was a **** to everyone...I used to work at Bay Park Square mall, Lids, he'd go into Finish Line all the time. I never bothered Packer players on thier off time or anytime for that matter, but he came in right at close, and a friend of mine asked if I wanted to meet him. As if there was any other answer than yes, I practically ran over there. My buddy introduced me, he looked at me and said, "What do you want, an autograph or something?", with this huge attitude. I shook my head and walked away without saying a word, guy was 100% a$s. Good for him wanting to retire as a Packer, good for the Packers to acknowledge his contributions to the team, but that doesn't change who he was. I'm sure he's more humble now that he's not top dog.....

Speaking of Packers and attitudes, the friendliest guy I ever met, and I wished like hell the Packers would have held on to him, William Henderson. Always took time for the fans, never was rude, hell the guy even got on my cell phone once and left a message for my dad (it was an autograph session during training camp). All around classy guy....just my two cents....

 

[cheesey]

I hate when guys act like that. So what if you DID want an autograph, would that have killed him?
I don't think they realize how they can lose a fan over something like that.

 

[Heatherthepackgirl]

Im glad they signed him and he could retire a Packer, he was an awesome player. When I first heard of the Packers signing him I thought YES maybe he still can play, he should be a wide recievers coach for the Pack that would be cool.

 

[cyoung]

Freeman a Receivers coach, that would be pretty cool. He was a great player and like Heather said it would be cool if he could still play, or coach.

 

[packedhouse01]

whoa~! Time sure has changed how people view Freeman as a player. He was far from a great player. In his prime he was a nice player. He had a lot of guts and probably played better than his talent. I think it's a very nice gesture of the Packers to allow him to retire as a Packer.

 

[cheesey]

whoa~! Time sure has changed how people view Freeman as a player. He was far from a great player. In his prime he was a nice player. He had a lot of guts and probably played better than his talent. I think it's a very nice gesture of the Packers to allow him to retire as a Packer.

He had one good season, signed the big contract, and really didn't do much after that. But in the SB winning year, he DID come back from that broken arm, and played BIG in their win. I couldn't believe the speed he showed running away from the D backs on that SB TD catch.
(See? I remembered!) :thumbsup:

 

[Zombieslayer]

I loved Freeman. This is definitely a good thing.
He'll be in the Packer Hall of Fame soon.