Bart Starr, a quarterback at Alabama in the 1950s who became a legend in the NFL, has died. He was 85.

Starr, a Montgomery native, had been in declining health since suffering a major stroke in 2014. His family released the following statement through the Green Bay Packers, the team he quarterbacked to five NFL championships in the 1960s:

“We are saddened to note the passing of our husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Bart Starr. He battled with courage and determination to transcend the serious stroke he suffered in September 2014, but his most recent illness was too much to overcome.

“While he may always be best known for his success as the Packers quarterback for 16 years, his true legacy will always be the respectful manner in which he treated every person he met, his humble demeanor, and his generous spirit.

“Our family wishes to thank the thousands of friends and fans who have enriched his life — and therefore our lives — for so many decades and especially during the past five years. Each letter, text, phone call, and personal visit inspired him and filled him with joy.

“His love for all of humanity is well known, and his affection toward the residents of Alabama and of Wisconsin filled him with gratitude. He had hoped to make one last trip to Green Bay to watch the Packers this fall, but he shall forever be there in spirit.”

Starr was a championship quarterback at Montgomery’s Sidney Lanier High School, but played at Alabama during a tumultuous time in the program’s history. The Crimson Tide went 10-2 and won the Orange Bowl during Starr’s freshman season of 1952, but slipped into mediocrity thereafter.

Alabama went 6-3-3 and lost in the Cotton Bowl during Starr’s sophomore year, then went 4-5-2 in 1954 and 0-10 his senior year. Starr was troubled by injuries throughout his college career, including a severe back injury suffered during a hazing incident — a fact not made public until a story written by AL.com’s Joseph Goodman in 2016.

Because of his up-and-down college career, Starr lasted until the 17th round of the 1956 NFL draft, where the Packers selected him. He split time at quarterback in Green Bay until the arrival in 1959 of coach Vince Lombardi, who quickly made Starr his starter.

The Starr-led Packers went 7-5 in 1959, then lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL championship game the following year. They won championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967, capping the latter two seasons with victories in the first two Super Bowls.

Starr was Most Valuable Player of both Super Bowls I & II, and posted a 9-1 postseason record, with 15 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. His most-famous moment came in the 1967 NFL championship game — known thereafter as the “Ice Bowl” — when he scored on a quarterback sneak in the final seconds to give Green Bay a 21-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Starr played through 1971, when he retired after 16 seasons and a 94-57-6 record as a starter. He was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1966 and was named to five Pro Bowls.

Starr had his No. 15 retired by the Packers, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He returned to Green Bay as head coach in 1975, and coached the Packers through 1983.

Starr also had success in business, lending his name to a number of automobile dealerships throughout the state of Alabama. He was also involved in various charitable works, including the Rawhide Boys Ranch, the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation and the Starr Children’s Fund.

Starr is survived by his wife Cherry, his high school sweetheart whom he married in 1954, son Bart Jr., and several grandchildren. A second son, Bret, died at age 24 in 1988.