Dave2112
Level of Cherry Feather
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- Apr 17, 2001
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The great Johnny Unitas left us today. Not only was he a legendary football player deserving of tribute...but one who reinvented his position.
Some highlights;
Was the first to throw for 40,000 yards. He now ranks seventh all-time. Most of the ones above him had the benefits of a sixteen game season, very liberal pass interferance rules, and even more liberal quarterback-protecting rules.
Retired with 22 NFL records, among them marks for pass completions, most yards gained, most TD passes and most seasons leading the league in yards.
Completed at least one TD pass in 47 consecutive games...a record not seriosly challenged since it was set in 1956-1960.
Voted MVP three times and played in 10 Pro-Bowls.
Let Baltimore to the NFL Championship in 1958 and 1959 and the Super Bowl in 1970.
On the NFL's 50th Anniversary in 1969, Unitas was voted the greatest QB of all time. He was also selected quarterback for the NFL's All-Time Team in 2000.
"Johnny Unitas is the greatest quarterback to ever playy the game, better than I was, better than Sammy Baugh, better than anyone," Sid Luckman, the great Chicago QB of the 1940's said.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Career highlight: The 1958 Championship Game against the New York Giants, a match that was called "The Greatest Game Ever Played." With 90 seconds left, Unitas completed four passes, taking the Colts to the 20-yard line to tie the game on a field goal. He then engineered an 80-yard drive for the winning touchdown.
Johnny had a heart attack while working out at a physical therapy center in Baltimore, Maryland.
To the guy with the crew-cut and the black high-tops...
...Rest in Peace, and Thank You for making the Game better by your prescence.
Some highlights;
Was the first to throw for 40,000 yards. He now ranks seventh all-time. Most of the ones above him had the benefits of a sixteen game season, very liberal pass interferance rules, and even more liberal quarterback-protecting rules.
Retired with 22 NFL records, among them marks for pass completions, most yards gained, most TD passes and most seasons leading the league in yards.
Completed at least one TD pass in 47 consecutive games...a record not seriosly challenged since it was set in 1956-1960.
Voted MVP three times and played in 10 Pro-Bowls.
Let Baltimore to the NFL Championship in 1958 and 1959 and the Super Bowl in 1970.
On the NFL's 50th Anniversary in 1969, Unitas was voted the greatest QB of all time. He was also selected quarterback for the NFL's All-Time Team in 2000.
"Johnny Unitas is the greatest quarterback to ever playy the game, better than I was, better than Sammy Baugh, better than anyone," Sid Luckman, the great Chicago QB of the 1940's said.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Career highlight: The 1958 Championship Game against the New York Giants, a match that was called "The Greatest Game Ever Played." With 90 seconds left, Unitas completed four passes, taking the Colts to the 20-yard line to tie the game on a field goal. He then engineered an 80-yard drive for the winning touchdown.
Johnny had a heart attack while working out at a physical therapy center in Baltimore, Maryland.
To the guy with the crew-cut and the black high-tops...
...Rest in Peace, and Thank You for making the Game better by your prescence.
