Green Bay sent veteran defensive end John Martinkovic—and, in…
Green Bay sent veteran defensive end John Martinkovic—and, in the NFL’s retrospective transaction account, tackle Dalton Truax—to the defending champion Giants for a 1958 third-round selection. The Packers used No. 36 on Ray Nitschke, who became the heart of Vince Lombardi’s championship defenses, a 15-year Packer, and a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 1958 third round pick (#36-Ray Nitschke)
New York Giants Received
- player John Martinkovic
- player Dalton Truax
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
The defending champion Giants were shopping for immediate line help before the 1957 season, while Green Bay was willing to turn veteran personnel into a future draft asset. Packers team history centers the deal on defensive end John Martinkovic for a 1958 third-round choice and dates the public announcement to September 19. An NFL historical trade feature lists the transaction one day earlier and includes tackle Dalton Truax with Martinkovic. Truax’s own biographical history confirms that Green Bay moved him to the Giants before the season. The broader package therefore includes both players, while the one-day timing difference is best understood as announcement versus transaction bookkeeping.
What Green Bay Received
The third-round choice became No. 36 overall, and Green Bay selected Illinois linebacker Ray Nitschke. That single selection transformed the trade’s historical importance. The Pro Football Hall of Fame credits Nitschke with 15 Packers seasons, 25 interceptions and a central role as the emotional and physical core of the great Green Bay defenses of the 1960s. He became a Hall of Famer and one of the defining defenders of the Lombardi dynasty.
What New York Received
Martinkovic arrived with strong credentials after six durable Packers seasons and three Pro Bowl selections. He played the 1957 season for New York, giving the Giants immediate veteran help. Truax also joined the Giants but produced far less long-term NFL value. The Giants’ win-now reasoning was legitimate, yet neither player generated a return remotely comparable to Nitschke’s decade-plus impact in Green Bay.
Final Verdict
Green Bay Packers Win. New York acquired useful short-term line depth for a contender, so a failing grade is too harsh. The problem is the identity of the pick surrendered. Nitschke became a Hall of Fame centerpiece of multiple championship defenses and spent his entire 15-year career in Green Bay. The Packers earn an A+ for converting short-term veteran assets into a franchise legend; the Giants earn a C- for obtaining real immediate help but sacrificing a draft choice with extraordinary realized value.