Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 but failed to make the team. He signed with the Baltimore Colts in 1956, became their starter in 1957, and was the top quarterback in the NFL over the next ten years, winning three NFL Championships. One of those titles was the "Greatest Game Ever Played," the 1958 Championship win over the Giants, which was the first nationally televised game, and also the first overtime game.
The NFL had arrived, and Unitas was its face.
While most of the records he set have long since been broken, it took until 2012 for a fellow quarterback (Drew Brees) to break Unitas’ mark of 47 straight games with a touchdown pass. Considering the era he played in, Unitas' mark is a far more impressive feat. He was also the first player to throw for 40,000 Yards.
We are proud to nominate Johnny Unitas for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.
Johny Unitas
The position of quarterback is always evolving, and the men who excelled in that position eighty years ago show little resemblance to those today. If a bridge from the early years to what a modern quarterback would become, that player is Johnny Unitas.
Additional Info
- Sport: Football
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Statistics:
1 Super Bowl (V)
3 NFL Championships (1958, 1959 & 1968)
3 MVPs (1959, 1964 & 1967)
3 Bert Bell Award (1959, 1964 & 1967)
1 Man of the Year Award (1970)
5 First Team All-Pro Selections (1958, 1959, 1964, 1965 & 1967)
10 Pro Bowls (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966 & 1967)
3-Time Pass Completion Leader (1959, 1960 & 1963)
4-Time Passing Yards Leader (1957, 1959, 1960 & 1963)
4-Time Passing Touchdowns Leader (1957, 1958, 1959 & 1960
3-Time Passer Rating Leader (1957, 1958 & 1965)
40,239 NFL Passing Yards
290 NFL Passing Touchdowns
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Number retired by the Indianapolis Colts
Number retired by the University of Louisville.
Named to the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Named to the NFL 50th Anniversary Team
Named to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team
Named to the NFL100th NFL Anniversary Team
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