It’s been a month of mixed emotions for Green Bay Packers’ Frank Winters, who, as starting center, played his part in winning this year’s Superbowl title, but who also had to cope with losing his older brother John just two weeks before the Packers’ match against the New England Patriots.

Describing his clan as a “strong Irish Catholic family,” Winters said his family had little hesitation about his going to the Superbowl so soon after John’s death. A dependable veteran, who has rarely missed a snap in his five seasons with the team, Winters was named as one of the team’s six playoff captains.

A New Jersey native, Winters has proven to be a durable and versatile performer for the Packers and has now started 56 consecutive regular-season games for the team. He has played in all 64 of Green Bay’s regular-season games since joining the club in 1992. He began his career with Cleveland, and was then signed away by Kansas City. Winters is married with two daughters, and lives in Overland Park, Kansas.