John Constantine Unitas (; May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002) was a National Football League (NFL) quarterback for 18 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Colts.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. ==Early life== John Constantine Unitas was born in Pittsburgh in 1933 to Francis J.
His first start was in the fifth game of the 1951 season against St.
He completed 46 of 99 passes for 602 yards and nine touchdowns (44). By the 1952 season, the university decided to de-emphasize sports.
In 1952, coach Frank Camp switched the team to two-way football.
Unitas completed 106 of 198 passes for 1,540 yards and 12 touchdowns. The team won their first game in 1953, against Murray State, and lost the rest for a record of 1–7.
Unitas completed 49 of 95 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns. Unitas was elected captain for the 1954 season, but due to an early injury did not see much playing time.
The 1954 Cardinals went 3–6, with their last win at home against Morehead State.
Due to an elbow injury suffered during his playing career, he had only very limited use of his right hand, and could not perform any physical activity more strenuous than golf due to his artificial knees. ==NFL career statistics== Source: In 1957, Unitas was named MVP by the Newspaper Enterprise Association. ==Personal life== At the age of 21 on November 20, 1954, Unitas married his high school sweetheart Dorothy Hoelle; they lived in Towson and had five children before divorcing.
He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time following a career that spanned from 1956 to 1973. Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors.
Between 1956 and 1960, he set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47, which held for 52 years until it was broken in 2012 by Drew Brees. Nicknamed "Johnny U" and the "Golden Arm", Unitas was considered the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback.
On the weekends, he played quarterback, safety and punter on a local semi-professional team called the Bloomfield Rams for $6 a game. ===Baltimore Colts=== In 1956, Unitas joined the Baltimore Colts of the NFL under legendary coach Weeb Ewbank, after being asked at the last minute to join Bloomfield Rams lineman Jim Deglau, a Croatian steelworker with a life much like Unitas, at the latter's scheduled Colts tryout.
His 47-game consecutive touchdown streak between 1956 and 1960 was a record considered by many to be unbreakable.
His 55.6-percent completion mark was a rookie record. In 1957, his first season as the Colts full-time starter at quarterback, Unitas finished first in the NFL in passing yards (2,550) and touchdown passes (24) as he helped lead the Colts to a 7–5 record, the first winning record in franchise history.
Due to an elbow injury suffered during his playing career, he had only very limited use of his right hand, and could not perform any physical activity more strenuous than golf due to his artificial knees. ==NFL career statistics== Source: In 1957, Unitas was named MVP by the Newspaper Enterprise Association. ==Personal life== At the age of 21 on November 20, 1954, Unitas married his high school sweetheart Dorothy Hoelle; they lived in Towson and had five children before divorcing.
He helped lead the Colts to four championship titles; three pre-merger era in 1958, 1959, 1968, and one Super Bowl era in Super Bowl V.
At season's end, Unitas received the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). ====1958: "The Greatest Game Ever Played"==== Unitas continued his prowess in 1958 passing for 2,007 yards and 19 touchdowns as the Colts won the Western Conference title.
The Colts won the NFL championship under his leadership on December 28, 1958, by defeating the New York Giants 23–17 in sudden death overtime on a touchdown by fullback Alan Ameche.
He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time following a career that spanned from 1956 to 1973. Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors.
He helped lead the Colts to four championship titles; three pre-merger era in 1958, 1959, 1968, and one Super Bowl era in Super Bowl V.
The game, nationally televised by NBC, has been credited for sparking the rise in popularity of professional football during the 1960s. ====1959 MVP season==== In 1959, Unitas was named the NFL's MVP by the Associated Press (AP) for the first time, as well as United Press International's player of the year, after leading the NFL in passing yards (2,899), touchdown passes (32), and completions (193).
His 32 touchdown passes in 1959 were a record at the time, making Unitas the first quarterback to hit the 30 touchdown mark in a season.
Between 1956 and 1960, he set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47, which held for 52 years until it was broken in 2012 by Drew Brees. Nicknamed "Johnny U" and the "Golden Arm", Unitas was considered the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback.
The game, nationally televised by NBC, has been credited for sparking the rise in popularity of professional football during the 1960s. ====1959 MVP season==== In 1959, Unitas was named the NFL's MVP by the Associated Press (AP) for the first time, as well as United Press International's player of the year, after leading the NFL in passing yards (2,899), touchdown passes (32), and completions (193).
He then led the Colts to a repeat championship, beating the Giants again 31–16 in the title game. ====Beginning of the 1960s==== As the 1960s began, the Colts' fortunes (and win totals) declined.
Unitas's streak of 47 straight games with at least one touchdown pass ended against the Los Angeles Rams in week 11 of the 1960 season.
His 47-game consecutive touchdown streak between 1956 and 1960 was a record considered by many to be unbreakable.
He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time following a career that spanned from 1956 to 1973. Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors.
The season was very successful for Unitas personally, as he led the NFL in passing yards with a career-best total of 3,481 and also led in completions with 237. ====1964 MVP season==== In the 1964 season the Colts returned to the top of the Western Conference.
However, the season ended on a disappointing note for the Colts as they were upset by the Cleveland Browns in the 1964 NFL Championship Game, losing 27–0. Unitas resumed his torrid passing in 1965, throwing for 2,530 yards, 23 touchdowns and finishing with a league-high and career-best 97.1 passer rating.
However, the season ended on a disappointing note for the Colts as they were upset by the Cleveland Browns in the 1964 NFL Championship Game, losing 27–0. Unitas resumed his torrid passing in 1965, throwing for 2,530 yards, 23 touchdowns and finishing with a league-high and career-best 97.1 passer rating.
The Colts and Packers finished in a tie for first place in the Western Conference and a one-game playoff was played in Green Bay to decide who would be the conference representative in the 1965 NFL Championship Game.
The Colts lost in overtime 13–10 due in large part to a game-tying field goal by Don Chandler that many say was incorrectly ruled good. Unitas, healthy once more, threw for 2,748 yards and 22 touchdowns in 1966 in a return to Pro Bowl form.
However, he posted a league-high 24 interceptions. ====1967 MVP season==== After once again finishing 2nd in the Western Conference in 1966, the Colts rebounded to finish 11–1–2 in 1967 tying the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL's best record.
He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time following a career that spanned from 1956 to 1973. Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors.
However, he posted a league-high 24 interceptions. ====1967 MVP season==== After once again finishing 2nd in the Western Conference in 1966, the Colts rebounded to finish 11–1–2 in 1967 tying the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL's best record.
In winning his third MVP award from the AP and UPI in 1967 (and his second from the NEA), Unitas had a league-high 58.5 completion percentage and passed for 3,428 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He helped lead the Colts to four championship titles; three pre-merger era in 1958, 1959, 1968, and one Super Bowl era in Super Bowl V.
Once again, the season ended in heartbreak for the Colts, as they were shut out of the newly instituted four-team NFL playoff after losing the divisional tiebreaker to the Rams, a 34–10 rout in the regular season finale. ====Super Bowls and final Colt years==== In the final game of the 1968 preseason, the muscles in Unitas's arm were torn when he was hit by a member of the Dallas Cowboys defense.
The Colts still marched to a league-best 13–1 record behind backup quarterback and ultimate 1968 NFL MVP Earl Morrall.
Although the Colts won an NFL Championship in 1968, they lost the Super Bowl to the AFL Champion New York Jets, thus becoming the first-ever NFL champions that were not also deemed world champions.
Plagued by arm trouble in his later seasons, he threw more interceptions (64) than touchdowns (38) in 1968–1973.
Despite not playing until late in the third quarter, he still finished the game with more passing yards than the team's starter, Earl Morrall. After an off-season of rehabilitation on his elbow, Unitas rebounded in 1969, passing for 2,342 yards and 12 touchdowns with 20 interceptions.
But the Colts finished with a disappointing 8–5–1 record, and missed the playoffs. In 1970, the NFL and AFL had merged into one league, and the Colts moved to the new American Football Conference, along with the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The first was in 1970 (won by the Colts, 29–22).
He threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns, but Namath upstaged him again, bombing the Colts for 496 yards and six touchdowns in a 44–34 Jets victory – their first over Baltimore since the 1970 merger.
The deal's only obstacle was the personal services contract he had signed with the Colts in 1970 which would've kept him employed within the organization on an annual salary of $30,000 over ten years once his career as an active player ended.
The streak stood for 52 years before being broken by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in a game against the San Diego Chargers on October 7, 2012. ===Post-playing days=== After his playing days were finished, Unitas settled in Baltimore where he raised his family while also pursuing a career in broadcasting, doing color commentary for NFL games on CBS in the 1970s.
Earl Morrall came in to lead the team to a last-second, 16–13 victory. In 1971, Unitas split playing time with Morrall, throwing only three touchdown passes.
Unitas threw three interceptions in the game, one of which was returned for a touchdown by safety Dick Anderson. The 1972 season saw the Colts declining into mediocrity.
The last meeting was a memorable one, which took place on September 24, 1972, at Memorial Stadium.
The pact had been signed when the ballclub was owned by Carroll Rosenbloom who subsequently acquired the Los Angeles Rams on July 13, 1972, in a franchise swap with Robert Irsay.
He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time following a career that spanned from 1956 to 1973. Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors.
The Colts won the game by the score of 35–7. ===San Diego, retirement, and records=== Unitas was traded from the Colts to the San Diego Chargers on January 20, 1973, in a transaction that originally had future considerations returning to Baltimore.
Eager to sever all ties with the Colts, Unitas signed a new two-year contract with the Chargers on June 8, 1973.
After having posted a 1–3 record as a starter, Unitas retired in the preseason of 1974. Unitas finished his 18 NFL seasons with 2,830 completions in 5,186 attempts for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns, with 253 interceptions.
Some other prominent old-time Colts followed his lead, although many attended the 1975 team's reunion at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2009.
A total of 39 Colts players from that 1975 team attended said reunion in Indianapolis, including Bert Jones and Lydell Mitchell.
He was the first quarterback to throw for more than 40,000 yards, despite playing during an era when NFL teams played shorter seasons of 12 or 14 games (as opposed to today's 16-game seasons) and prior to modern passing-friendly rules implemented in 1978.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. ==Early life== John Constantine Unitas was born in Pittsburgh in 1933 to Francis J.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
After Robert Irsay moved the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984, a move reviled to this day in Baltimore as "Bob Irsay's Midnight Ride," he was so outraged that he cut all ties to the relocated team (though his No.
Unitas donated his Colts memorabilia to the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore; they are now on display in the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards. Unitas was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Unitas actively lobbied for another NFL team to come to Baltimore.
It is a tradition for each Cardinal player to touch the statue as he enters the field. Since 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has been awarded to the top senior quarterback of the current year in college football.
After the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996 and changed their name to the Ravens, he and some of the other old-time Colts attended the Ravens' first game ever against the Raiders on Opening Day at Memorial Stadium.
He was frequently seen on the Ravens' sidelines at home games (most prominently in 1998 when the now-Indianapolis Colts played the Ravens) and received a thunderous ovation every time he was pictured on each of the huge widescreens at M&T Bank Stadium.
The award is presented annually in Louisville. In 1999, he was ranked No.
2. In 1999, ESPN's Sportscentury: 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century ranked Unitas No.
Champaign, IL: Sports Pub Inc., 1999. Callahan, Tom.
John Constantine Unitas (; May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002) was a National Football League (NFL) quarterback for 18 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Colts.
Unitas himself lost almost total use of his right hand, with the middle finger and thumb noticeably disfigured from being repeatedly broken during games. On September 11, 2002, Unitas died from a heart attack while working out at the Kernan Physical Therapy Center (now The University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute) in Baltimore.
Between his death and October 4, 2002, 56,934 people signed an online petition urging the Baltimore Ravens to rename the Ravens' home stadium (owned by the State of Maryland) after Unitas.
The football stadium at Towson University was renamed Johnny Unitas Stadium in 2002.
Chicago: Triumph Books, 2002. Schaap, Dick (1999).
5 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, behind only Joe Montana among quarterbacks. In 2004, The Sporting News ranked Unitas No.
New York: Crown Publishers, 2006. Lazenby, Roland.
Some other prominent old-time Colts followed his lead, although many attended the 1975 team's reunion at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2009.
Between 1956 and 1960, he set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47, which held for 52 years until it was broken in 2012 by Drew Brees. Nicknamed "Johnny U" and the "Golden Arm", Unitas was considered the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback.
The streak stood for 52 years before being broken by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in a game against the San Diego Chargers on October 7, 2012. ===Post-playing days=== After his playing days were finished, Unitas settled in Baltimore where he raised his family while also pursuing a career in broadcasting, doing color commentary for NFL games on CBS in the 1970s.
This record was surpassed by Drew Brees in 2012. Set the record for consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes at 12 games.
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