Packers Public Relations Lambeau Field Atrium 1265 Lombardi Avenue Green Bay, WI 54304 920/569-7500 920/569-7201 fax Jason Wahlers, Aaron Popkey, Sarah Quick, Tom Fanning, Jonathan Butnick VOL. XIV; NO. 3 2012 TRAINING CAMP TRAINING CAMP SET TO BEGIN IN GREEN BAY THE MONTH AHEAD A day circled on the calendar of every sports fan – the official beginning A total of six night practices under the lights at Nitschke Field headlines of the NFL season – will arrive this Thursday when the Green Bay Packers a training camp schedule that features 20 practices overall, plus Family kick off the 2012 campaign at Ray Nitschke Field. Night, and four preseason games in just over one calendar month. Coming off a 2011 season that saw Green Bay win a The first six practices of training camp will take place at 8:15 a.m. The franchise-record 15 games in the regular season and first evening session will take place at on Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. set numerous club marks, the Packers will begin to The Packers will conduct a total of 10 practices at Nitschke Field prior to write this season’s story in front of fans at Nitschke the preseason opener at San Diego on Aug. 9. Three of the four sessions Field. leading into the home preseason opener vs. Cleveland on Aug. 16 will be A tradition first started under Curly Lambeau in 1946, held at 7 p.m. training camp in Green Bay remains one of the most Following the game against the Browns, the Packers will shift into more intimate settings in all of professional sports. 2012 of a regular-season schedule with morning practices (11 or 11:15 a.m.). marks the fourth summer at the newly constructed A now-signature event during camp, Packers Family Night is presented Nitschke Field, just a short bike ride away from the team facility. by Bellin Health. Now in its 12th year, the evening will feature on-field Nitschke boasts the same playing surface as Lambeau Field and seat- football drills, a scrimmage and a fireworks display high above Lambeau ing for 1,500 fans with unobstructed views and sideline access to their Field. The event will benefit the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids foster-care favorite players. adoption program. Just as it does at Lambeau Field, new traditions blend with historic ones PRESEASON at Packers training camp, as players continue to ride children’s bicycles Date Opponent Time (CT) TV to practice, a tradition first started under the legendary Vince Lombardi. Thu., Aug. 9 at San Diego Chargers. .7 p.m. ESPN Players continue to stay in the dorms at St. Norbert College, the NFL’s Thu., Aug. 16 CLEVELAND BROWNS (Gold Pkg.) . .7 p.m. state longest training-camp relationship between a team and school. (Midwest Shrine Game) According to the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, Thu., Aug. 23 at Cincinnati Bengals. .6 p.m. state training camp, along with Packers Family Night, will attract nearly Thu., Aug. 30 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. .6 p.m. state 100,000 visitors from across the nation and as many as 20 foreign (Bishop’s Charities Game) countries from July 26 through the final open practice on Aug. 28. With an economic impact estimated at $10 million, training camp is a finan- REGULAR SEASON cial boost to many area businesses. Date Opponent Time (CT) TV Media and fans can visit www.packerstrainingcamp.com for the Sun., Sept. 9 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS . 3:25 p.m. FOX most up-to-date information regarding the practice schedule, events, Thu., Sept. 13 CHICAGO BEARS (Gold Pkg.) . 7:20 p.m. NFLN dining and accommodation options, activities and more throughout Mon., Sept. 24 at Seattle Seahawks. 7:30 p.m. ESPN training camp. Sun., Sept. 30 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS . 3:25 p.m. FOX Sun., Oct. 7 at Indianapolis Colts . .12 p.m. FOX SAVE THE DATE Sun., Oct. 14 at Houston Texans. 7:20 p.m. NBC Important dates to remember (all times CDT): Sun., Oct. 21 at St. Louis Rams . .12 p.m. FOX Wednesday, July 25 – Players report to training camp Sun., Oct. 28 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS . .12 p.m. CBS Thursday, July 26 – First practice, 8:15 a.m., Nitschke Field Sun., Nov. 4 ARIZONA CARDINALS (Gold Pkg.) . .12 p.m. FOX Friday, Aug. 3 – Packers Family Night, Presented by Bellin Health, Sun., Nov. 11 Open Date . 6:30 p.m., Lambeau Field Sun., Nov. 18 at Detroit Lions . *12 p.m. FOX Thursday, Aug. 9 – First preseason game, at San Diego Chargers, Sun., Nov. 25 at New York Giants . *7:20 p.m. NBC 7 p.m., Qualcomm Stadium Sun., Dec. 2 MINNESOTA VIKINGS . .*12 p.m. FOX Thursday, Aug. 16 – Preseason game vs. Cleveland Browns, Sun., Dec. 9 DETROIT LIONS . *7:20 p.m. NBC Sun., Dec. 16 at Chicago Bears . .*12 p.m. FOX 7 p.m., Lambeau Field (Midwest Shrine Game) Sun., Dec. 23 TENNESSEE TITANS . .*12 p.m. CBS Thursday, Aug. 23 – Preseason game at Cincinnati Bengals, Sun., Dec. 30 at Minnesota Vikings. .*12 p.m. FOX 6 p.m., Paul Brown Stadium *—Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling Monday, Aug. 27 – Roster reduction to a maximum of 75 players by 3 p.m. (CDT) NFL POSTSEASON DATES Tuesday, Aug. 28 – Final practice open to public, 11 a.m., Nitschke Field Jan. 5-6 ................................................AFC and NFC Wild Card Playoffs Thursday, Aug. 30 – Preseason game vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 12-13 .............................................AFC and NFC Divisional Playoffs 6 p.m., Lambeau Field (Bishop's Charities Game) Jan. 20 ............................................AFC and NFC Championship Games Friday, Aug. 31 – Roster reduction to a maximum of 53 players by Jan. 27 .......................... AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu 8 p.m. (CDT) Feb. 3 ...Super Bowl XLVII, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La. 2012 TRAINING CAMP LOTS OF FAMILIAR FACES selection in the fourth round. He was a first-team All-Colonial Athletic General Manager Ted Thompson continued his philosophy of building Conference selection in 2011 and earned second-team All-American through the draft in the 2012 offseason, but also added some veteran honors from Phil Steele. McMillian finished second on the team in both players in free agency. tackles (92) and tackles for loss (11½) as a senior. Green Bay welcomes the return of 19 of 22 players that started against Thompson traded up for the third and final time on draft weekend to the N.Y. Giants in the NFC Divisional playoff game in January. select LB Terrell Manning from North Carolina State in the fifth Seven Packers earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2011, the largest contin- round, the last of six consecutive defenders chosen by the Packers gent Green Bay had voted into the all-star game since 1967. Six of those to open the draft. Manning earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast players return in 2012, with C Scott Wells departing to St. Louis in free Conference honors as a junior in 2011, recording a career-high 83 tack- agency. les despite missing two games with a knee injury. The Packers filled the void left by Wells through unrestricted free agency With the first of two choices in the seventh round, Green Bay selected when they signed veteran C Jeff Saturday, a five-time Pro Bowler with T Andrew Datko from Florida State. He was a four-year starter at LT the Indianapolis Colts. for the Seminoles but saw his senior campaign cut short after just four Green Bay also added to its defensive line with the signing of unre- games due to a shoulder injury. Datko was named to the preseason stricted free agent DE Anthony Hargrove (Seattle) and a pair of free watch list in 2011 for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. He agents, DE Phillip Merling and DT Daniel Muir. allowed just one sack and was penalized only three times in 11 starts as The continuity extends to the coaching staff, where almost the entire a junior in 2010. group returns for 2012 with a few changes in duties. The Packers drafted QB B.J. Coleman out of Tennesee-Chattanooga Tom Clements, who tutored the quarterbacks for the past six sea- in the seventh round with their eighth and final selection. He finished sons, moves into the role of offensive coordinator in 2012 after Joe his career at UTC ranked either first or second in every major statistical Philbin left to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. passing category despite playing only three seasons there after transfer- Ben McAdoo, who coached the team’s tight ends from 2006-11, will ring from Tennessee. Coleman started 29 games in his three seasons at now direct the quarterbacks, while Jerry Fontenot, who tutored the Chattanooga and threw for 6,871 yards and 52 TDs. running backs in 2011, will take over as tight ends coach. Alex Van Pelt, a six-year NFL assistant, enters his first season with the club as BREAKING DOWN THE ROSTER running backs coach. The Packers enter training camp with a 90-man roster that is composed of Two other coaches will have different duties, with Joel Hilgenberg 46 offensive players, 41 defensive players and three specialists. serving as assistant offensive line coach and John Rushing as offen- Of the 90 players on Green Bay’s roster, 38 of them (42.2 percent) were sive assistant/special teams. drafted by the Packers. With 34 non-drafted free agents on the roster having started their NFL MEET THE DRAFT PICKS career with Green Bay, 72 of the 90 players (80.0 percent) began their Training-camp storylines always hover around new players and just how pro careers with the Packers.