Phil Vandersea, a versatile defender who played under Vince Lombardi and helped the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl I, died Saturday. He was 83.
The Whitinsville, Massachusetts, native passed away on Oct. 24.Born Feb. 25, 1943, Vandersea first stood out as an athlete at Northbridge High School before heading to the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
At UMass, he became a key contributor for the Minutemen during the early 1960s.
In 1963, he helped the team finish 8-0-1, the program’s only undefeated season and its second Yankee Conference championship.
That year, the fullback also punted for a 36.3-yard average and picked off a pass on defense.
As a senior in 1965, Vandersea rushed for 388 yards on 100 carries and scored six touchdowns. He earned All-Yankee Conference recognition and later made UMass’ all-time anniversary team.
The Packers took him in the 16th round, 220th overall, of the 1965 NFL Draft and shifted him to linebacker. He joined Lombardi’s team in 1966, contributing on defense and special teams as Green Bay beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in Super Bowl I on Jan. 15, 1967.
Vandersea was the only native New Englander among the 80 players in that first Super Bowl.
The expansion New Orleans Saints selected him in 1967, and he appeared in eight games before returning to Green Bay for 1968 and 1969.
Across four NFL seasons, he played in 46 games, starting four, at five positions — fullback, linebacker, tight end, defensive end and defensive tackle — along with special teams duty. He returned five kickoffs for 71 yards during his career.
Injuries shortened his NFL time, but he later played for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League.
Vandersea served as an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross from 1975 to 1978. After leaving the game, he spent 20 years with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections.
He supported retired NFL players through the New England chapter of the retired players association and took part in research on football-related concussions.
Vandersea is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sandra, their children and grandchildren, and his younger brother, Mark.
UMass inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
