MARK PETERSON SOLD HIS PACKERS SEASON TICKETS TO PAY FOR LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT — AND THEN GREEN BAY PROVED WHY IT’S CALLED TITLETOWN
When kindness met courage — and Green Bay reminded America what family truly means.
In a league often defined by power, money, and ego, one quiet story from Wisconsin has melted hearts across the nation — showing that in
Mark Peterson, a 61-year-old lifelong Packers fan from Appleton, had owned his Lambeau Field season tickets for more than twenty years. Every Sunday, no matter the snow, the cold, or the heartbreak, he stood in the stands wrapped in green and gold, shouting until his voice gave out.
But earlier this year, life took a brutal turn. Peterson was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that required immediate and costly treatment. To cover the mounting medical bills, he made a heartbreaking choice — he sold his beloved season tickets.
“I told myself it was just paper,” Peterson said quietly. “But when I handed them over, it felt like I was giving away a piece of my life.”
A fan’s sacrifice reaches TitleTown’s heart
When local radio host Ben Krueger mentioned Peterson’s story on air, Packers Nation responded instantly. Letters, prayers, and donations poured in from every corner of Wisconsin — from Green Bay to Eau Claire to Milwaukee. Within days, the story reached
Policy, known for his belief that “Green Bay belongs to its people,” gathered his community relations team. What happened next would redefine what
The Packers quietly step in — and make history
Without a press release or fanfare, the Green Bay Packers organization paid off every dollar of Peterson’s medical debt — more than $146,000 — and reinstated his season tickets with lifetime access.
When Peterson walked back into Lambeau Field last Sunday, escorted by his wife and two grandchildren, fans in Section 118 erupted into applause. Moments later, the scoreboard lit up with the words that brought an entire stadium to tears:
“Welcome home, Mark. Once a Packer, always a Packer.”
The image of Peterson crying in his vintage Brett Favre jersey went viral within hours. Videos under the hashtag #TitleTownHeart reached over 40 million views, drawing messages of admiration from fans of every NFL team — including rivals from Chicago and Minnesota.
Ed Policy: “This is what community means.”
Packers CEO Ed Policy later confirmed the gesture in a short statement:
“Mark reminded us all that what makes Green Bay special isn’t our trophies — it’s our people.
We’ve always said this team belongs to its fans, and we mean that. Family looks out for family.”
Star quarterback Jordan Love shared the story on social media with the caption:
“This is TitleTown. We don’t just win games — we win hearts.”
Defensive leader Micah Parsons, now proudly wearing green and gold after joining the team this season, added:
“I’ve played in big cities. But Green Bay? This is different. This is love.”
A story that transcends football
Since the story broke, local hospitals in Appleton and Green Bay have launched the
Peterson says he’s overwhelmed by the kindness:
“They didn’t just pay my bills — they gave me back Sundays with my family.
I don’t have words for what that means.”
For the rest of the country, the message was clear — in Green Bay, football is more than touchdowns or trophies. It’s the living proof that compassion still exists in sports.
Because in TitleTown, love wears green and gold
As the Packers prepare for Week 7, this moment has united Wisconsin in a way no victory ever could.
It’s not about the scoreboard — it’s about the soul of a city that believes in something bigger than football.
Because in Green Bay, loyalty isn’t shouted — it’s shown.
And love?
It’s worn proudly in green and gold.
Colts DE expected to miss multiple weeks
After suffering an MCL injury in last Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam is likely to miss multiple weeks, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. He’s not expected to land on IR, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59.
An IR stint would require Ebukam to miss four games. With the Colts’ bye falling in Week 11, going on IR would prevent Ebukam from returning until Week 13. Fortunately for first-place Indianapolis, it doesn’t seem that he’s facing a long-term absence.
A former Ram and 49er, Ebukam signed a three-year deal with the Colts before the 2023 season. He responded with 17 starts and 9.5 sacks that year, but a torn Achilles sidelined him for all of last season. Before his latest injury, the 30-year-old played in all seven of the Colts’ games during a 6-1 start and logged a 44.2% snap share with two sacks.
Along with Ebukam, the Colts saw defensive end Tyquan Lewis exit in Week 7 with a groin injury. He’s considered “day-to-day this week, and we’ll just see how the week goes,” head coach Shane Steichen said (via Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star).
Lewis, who has played a little over 41% of defensive snaps in 2025, is tied for the team lead with three sacks. With Lewis and Ebukam dealing with injuries, Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu and JT Tuimoloau are the Colts’ only healthy defensive ends heading into Sunday’s game against the Titans.
Even when the Colts are at full strength, they don’t boast an especially formidable pass rush. That could be an area for general manager Chris Ballard to improve on before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, though the team also has questions in its injury-riddled secondary. The Colts have just under $5M in cap space, leaving Ballard with little breathing room.
