GREEN BAY — Bart Starr, the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the most beloved figures in Green Bay Packers history, is recovering from a mild stroke he suffered last week, Starr's family and the organization announced Wednesday.
The family said Starr, 80, is expected to make a full recovery but remains hospitalized.
"Last week Bart Starr suffered a mild ischemic stroke, but is very functional and making progress every day," the family said in a statement released by the team. "He is in the care of his physicians and therapists, and will be released as soon as he regains his strength. Bart's doctors are confident for a full recovery. We remain grateful for your love and concern."
Said Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy in a statement: "Everyone in the Packers family extends our best wishes to Bart for a quick recovery. On behalf of all our fans, we hope to see Bart and Cherry at Lambeau Field soon."
Last month, former Packers quarterback Brett Favre said he hoped to be joined by Starr when he returned to Lambeau Field this fall for a visit.
"Just thinking out loud, wouldn't it be nice, and I don't want to speak for [Murphy] or anyone within the organization, but wouldn't it be nice to flip the coin with Bart Starr prior to the game? I've got chills right now thinking about it," Favre suggested. "I just think that fans, that would be an electric moment. And again, another honor. I've always said that about Bart. If we could get that done, it would be an amazing moment."
Starr forged a friendship with Favre and later befriended Aaron Rodgers, with whom he has become very close. When Rodgers won the prestigious Bart Starr Award for character and leadership last season, he spoke of how much the Starr Award meant to him because of their friendship .
"It means a lot, mostly because I get to stand with my personal role model," Rodgers, who first met Starr at the Packers' 2006 Fan Fest event, said of winning the award. "(Starr is know) not only by his play, but more importantly by his work off the field. I think as a football player, you realize you want to be eventually known for more than just playing football."
Jason Wilde wrote: