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Packers Legend Diagnosed With Dementia at 62 — Can’t Speak, But Still Remembers Playing for Green Bay

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The Green Bay Packers community is reeling after heartbreaking news about one of its Hall of Fame linemen. A beloved figure from the team’s Super Bowl XXXI run is now battling a devastating illness off the field.

Doctors recently confirmed that the former Packers anchor has been diagnosed with dementia, forcing him to move into a 24/7 care facility in Wisconsin. His health has declined rapidly, and he is now separated from his wife and children.

Frank Winters, the longtime center who snapped to Brett Favre throughout the 1990s, can no longer speak and struggles with basic memory. According to his family, he only recalls his daughter’s name — and the fact that he once played for Green Bay.

“He can’t speak anymore. He only remembers our daughter’s name and that he once played football. He doesn’t even know my name. Doctors say it’s frontotemporal dementia, but he’s far too young. I believe constant head trauma from football caused it,” his wife shared.

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Winters was a cornerstone of the Packers’ offensive line from 1992 to 2002, starting 141 games and winning a Super Bowl in 1996. Known as “Bag of Donuts,” he earned Pro Bowl honors in 1996 and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2008.

Beyond his accolades, teammates remember Winters for his toughness, intelligence, and loyalty. Favre once described him as “the most reliable lineman I ever played with.” Fans in Green Bay will forever connect his name with the franchise’s 1990s resurgence.

Today, his fight with dementia is a sobering reminder of the long-term risks NFL players face from years of collisions. While he may have lost his words, his legacy in Green Bay — and his bond with Packers Nation — remain unshakable.

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Raiders Reunite with a Former Starter to Fortify the Offensive Line
Las Vegas, NV   The Las Vegas Raiders have brought back a familiar face in a move that screams both urgency and savvy: versatile offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is returning to the Silver & Black on a one-year deal (terms not disclosed), reuniting with the franchise where he logged some of the best football of his career and immediately fortifying a position group that has been stretched thin. Eluemunor, 31, started for the Raiders from 2021–2023, showing rare position flexibility across right tackle and guard while anchoring pass protection against premier edge rushers. His technique, anchor, and ability to handle long-arm power made him a steadying force during multiple playoff pushes. After departing Vegas, Eluemunor spent time elsewhere refining his craft, but a confluence of roster needs and scheme familiarity has set the stage for a timely homecoming. For the Raiders—fighting to keep pace in a rugged AFC—this is about stability and fit. Injuries and week-to-week availability on the right side of the line have forced constant shuffling; protection packages have leaned heavily on chips and condensed splits to survive obvious passing downs. Eluemunor’s return allows the staff to plug him at RT or slide him inside at RG, restoring balance to protections and widening the run-game menu (duo, inside zone, and the toss/ pin-pull that Vegas fans love when the edge is sealed). “Jermaine knows who we are and how we want to play,” a team source said. “He brings ballast. Assignment sound, physical, and smart—he raises the floor for the entire unit.” Beyond the X’s and O’s, there’s an unmistakable emotional charge to this reunion. Eluemunor was a locker-room favorite in his previous stint—professional, detail-driven, and accountable. The belief internally is that his presence stabilizes communication on the right side (IDs, slides, and pass-off rules vs. games and simulated pressures), which in turn unlocks more vertical concepts and keeps the quarterback cleaner late in games. On social media, Raider Nation lit up the timeline with a simple refrain: “Welcome back, Jem.” Many fans called the deal the exact kind of “rival-poach, ready-to-play” move a contender makes in October: low friction, high impact, zero learning curve. What it means on the field (immediately): Pass pro: Fewer emergency chips, more five-out releases—OC can re-open deeper intermediate shots without living in max-protect. Run game: Better edge control on toss/duo; more confidence running to the right on money downs. Depth & versatility: One injury doesn’t force a cascade of position changes; Eluemunor can cover two spots with starting-level competency. The timetable? Swift. Because Eluemunor already speaks the language—terminology, splits, cadence rules—he could suit up as early as this weekend if the medicals/check-ins continue to trend positive. The message is clear: the Raiders aren’t waiting around for the line to gel—they’re engineering it. If Jermaine Eluemunor plays to his Raider résumé, this reunion could be the precise mid-season jolt that steadies the offense and keeps the Silver & Black firmly in the postseason race. Raider Nation, the question writes itself: Plug-and-play stopgap—or the catalyst that reclaims the right side