Greg Jensen

Gregory George Jensen (born January 23, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a center and guard for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). After playing football at Sauk Prairie High School, he did not attend college and remained out of the sport for six years. He decided to return to football in 1986 and started playing for a semi-professional team in Wisconsin. In 1987, he was signed by the New York Jets, but did not make the team. He later signed with the Packers as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL strike and appeared in one game before being released. He concluded his career with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Life and career Jensen was born on January 23, 1962, in Sauk City, Wisconsin. He attended Sauk Prairie High School where he played football as an offensive lineman; he was also used as a placekicker. He was an All-Badger Conference selection and graduated in 1980.

In September 1987, the NFL Players Association went on strike, and thus teams signed replacement players. Jensen signed with the Packers as a replacement to play guard. He made his NFL debut in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions, becoming the only player in the NFL that year to not have attended college, as well as the first since 1980. Against the Lions, Jensen played the entire second half at left guard, coming in for Jim Hobbins, who had moved to right guard after an injury to Perry Hartnett. He told The Capital Times that "I had a blast, I just took out everybody I could", although he noted that he struggled in blocking when the Lions were blitzing. In 1988, he signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), but was later released, ending his professional career.