Welcome to Cheesehead Origins, an offseason series geared toward showcasing Packer fans with interesting fandom origin stories! CheeseheadTV is devoted to Packer fans worldwide, and we want to hear (and share) your stories. 

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So far, the entirety of the Cheesehead Origins series has focused on adults of all ages and their stories of how they came to be fans of the Green Bay Packers. We’ve touched a lot in particular on childhood experiences and the effect they had on burgeoning fandom.

I thought it would be cool, then, to talk to someone who actually is still a child (technically), and to see how their fandom has grown and influenced without the same amount of life experience and while they’re still in their formative years of fandom.

Who better than Big B of Packer internet fame? He’s garnered himself quite a following on Twitter at @bigpackers4x, thanks to his congeniality and the podcast he co-hosts, Underage Packers.

Big B, whose actual name is Branden (little known fact), lives in Marquette, Michigan. For those unfamiliar with the geography of the region, that’s just past the state line into the upper peninsula, a lovely place (my wife has family there). 

While Big B might not have the same number of years of fandom of other Cheeseheads I’ve interviewed for this series, his enthusiasm can match anyone’s. 

“My life is football and only football,” he said. “My life revolves around football and the Green Bay Packers.”

Of course, he does have other interests, like spending time outside, working out and doing wildlife photography. But this is a kid who bleeds green and gold, and has for as long as he can remember. 

“I really had no choice when it came to picking a team,” he said. “Most of my family are Packer fans, so it’s in my blood. I remember when I was young, me and my family always traveled to Green Bay for vacations, so that helped as well.”

His love of football was significantly influenced by his grandfather, who he says is the person who really taught him the game of football. And having a connection to seats in Lambeau certainly doesn’t hurt. 

“He shares season tickets, so I get to go to two or three games a year,” said Big B. “We always went to training camp and mini camp when I was young, and my fandom really starts with him.”

Big B is obviously still young; he’s got some time left yet in high school before he’s off to the “real world.” This means the only era of the Green Bay Packers he’s ever really experienced is the Aaron Rodgers era. While he was born during the end of Brett Favre’s tenure, he would have no real memories of number four as the starter in the green and gold.

I asked Big B how he thinks his age and his limited quarterback experience influences his fandom, and what he imagines when he thinks about a life without Rodgers at quarterback. I remember when I was his age in the early 2000s, a future without Brett Favre seemed unthinkable.

But to his credit, Branden seemed to have a good grasp on how rare it is, the position the Packers are in with Rodgers.

“I’m a big history guy, so I know what it was like with Randy Wright, [John] Hadl and David Whtiehurst, so I know how awful it is without a Hall of Fame quarterback,” he said. “So I am currently going to enjoy the last few years with Rodgers at quarterback and cherish the moments. But I am excited to see what happens after the Rodgers era and how the front office handles it.”

He’s certainly doing everything he can to enjoy the time with Rodgers while he’s got it.  As he mentioned, he goes to several games a year, which has given him plenty of unforgettable memories in a relatively short time as a fan. 

“My first game was a pretty surreal moment, even though it was only a preseason game,” he said. “I was in awe the whole time.”

He says the best game he’s been to was the Seattle playoff game after the 2019 season, and the atmosphere was electric. But his favorite game was the Sunday NIght Football matchup against the Bears just this season.

“The game was on my birthday, and when you get to spend your birthday at Lambeau Field it’s definitely a great birthday. But then I got to see my best friends Joey and Tyler Herrick, as well as meet you and Mark Oldacres. It’s a day I will never forget.”

If you are at all familiar with Big B, you are also familiar with his unceasing love for Jamaal Williams, even though he’s no longer a Packer. He frequently refers to Jamaal as “THE GOOOOOOOOAAAAT”

He had the opportunity to meet Williams in 2018 at training camp, and even interview him on the Jamaal Williams Show at Game On Wisconsin a couple years later, a moment he’ll never forget. He counts these among his favorite moments as a Packer fan.

But there are others. Meeting Preston Smith at Longhorn Steakhouse in Green Bay. Befriending what he calls “so many incredible people” on Twitter and Instagram.

“I’ve created so many friendships that will probably last a lifetime by just sitting on my phone all day, and it’s pretty crazy to think about it,” he said, noting how wild it is to have made so many friendships via social media despite people living across the country (and world).

The closest friendship he’s made has been with Joey (known as @JoeyGPG on Twitter), with whom he created the Underage Packers podcast. I asked him how they came to start their podcast and web show. Their videos have been a hit, and have been seen and referenced by Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers, among others. 

“It all started I want to say in 2018 at mini camp. We were both there that day and had no idea that we followed each other on Instagram,” he remembered.

Joey and Branden happened to be standing next to each other for nearly the entire day, but didn’t know each other or realize it. They were approached by Vince Biegel, who was signing autographs at the gate, and ended up giving both of them his gloves from practice.

“That night I posted it on Instagram when I got home and Joey messaged me and told me he got the other glove,” Big B remembered. “We have talked ever since.”

In 2019 the two were doing Instagram Lives together before each game and had a lot of fun doing it. When COVID hit, Joey suggested they start a podcast, since they essentially were already doing it. 

“Now we’ve just been grinding and doing our best,” said Big B.

Branden has also been very public about his struggles with his cancer diagnosis and treatment. When he shared the news on Twitter, he could never have foreseen the response he would get, including from people he didn’t even know.

“After I put it on Twitter that I had cancer and seeing all the people who cared and messaged me and talking about me on videos, it was really wild,” he said. “I had people sending me so many packages of Packers memorabilia and a ton of other things that I will never get rid of. It really helped me get through the beginning and the toughest parts of the treatments because everyone on Twitter helped keep my spirits up. It helped me keep a positive attitude because of everyone’s support.”

He’s still going in once a month for treatment, which is an improvement from weekly treatments earlier on in the diagnosis. He says he’s doing “fantastic.”

“I don’t know how much longer it’s going to be, but I can definitely say I’m in a great place with everything.”

When I asked who he wanted to shout out at the end of the article, he had several people in particular.

“Shoutout to Joey for being an amazing friend, and I appreciate him putting up with my crap. Nate Temple and Norman Gratz who are amazing friends. And they will never see this, but shoutout to two people at the hospital I go to, Lynsey and Morgan, who are absolutely amazing people and I appreciate everything they do.”

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Big props to the wonderful lad Big B for taking part in this series! Be sure to follow him on Twitter at @bigpackers4x. 

Next week: something a little different. A mysterious identity, and plenty of snark. Stay tuned!