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Jerry Kramer enjoys one more 'wonderful moment'

Hall of Fame guard continues to pass on Vince Lombardi’s lessons

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GREEN BAY – Jerry Kramer remembers standing alongside Jim Ringo the first time the Packers' Pro Football Hall of Fame center saw his name on the façade at Lambeau Field.

Ringo, a 10-time Pro Bowler who played his first 11 seasons in Green Bay, kept repeating the words "Oh my God" over and over at the sight of his name attached to what's become one of the most decorated venues in all of sports.

On Sunday afternoon, Kramer experienced his own awe-inspiring reaction when his name was unveiled on the southwest portion of the stadium in recognition of his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

"I didn't know if I was going to keel over or enjoy it. I ended up enjoying it," Kramer deadpanned after his halftime ceremony of Sunday's game between the Packers and Vikings. "It was a wonderful moment. The whole process was a wonderful event for me. It's surreal is the best way to describe it, especially for a lineman. Linemen don't do those kind of things. Rarely do they do those kind of things."

As special as Hall of Fame weekend was last month, Kramer said this weekend's festivities were special to him because he got to spend more time with his family. In attendance was his daughter, Alicia, who trumpeted his selection as a senior committee nominee and presented her father for enshrinement last month.

Afterwards, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and several players from both teams congratulated him on the honor.

"Aaron came over and congratulated me, looked in my eye and said some things," Kramer said. "That was very nice. It was a strong moment. It was great to have that."

Kramer said his football journey is not over. He has a movie he'd like to get out and has interests in the medical world aimed towards finding answers and solutions to help combat CTE.

Meanwhile, Kramer said he still plans on passing along the lessons he learned from Vince Lombardi and talking about the Packers' championship teams from the 1960s.

"I don't get tired talking about those moments and those days, and those championships. There's a lot of lessons there," Kramer said. "There's some learning that doesn't age and doesn't grow old. I'm enjoying talking about that, and passing that on and encouraging folks that if they want to, they can."

Photos of Jerry Kramer's name being unveiled on the Lambeau Field facade during halftime of Sunday's Packers-Vikings game

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