Johnny Unitas

Professional football player, Johnny Unitas had, every attribute needed to be a winner. He was described as confident, courageous, a leader, a play calling genius, and a skilled passer. He is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Unitas was born in 1933 and his life ended abruptly from a heart attack in 2002 at age 69. Near the end of his life, he aroused media attention to the many physical disabilities suffered by him and fellow football players before today’s safety equipment and padding were in use. Unitas had lost most of the ability to use his right hand because it had been broken so many times.

After being drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955, Unitas was rejected before the season started and he went to work on construction to support his family. He played for a semi-pro team on weekends for six dollars a game. The Baltimore Colts coach asked Unitas to join another player on the semi-pro team to try out for the Colts. After signing for the Colts for $17,000 in 1956, his rookie year brought him a record 55.6 percent completion mark. The next year as starter quarterback, he led the NFL with 2,550 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes, and was named NFL Most Valuable Player.

During Unitas’ seventeen seasons with the NFL, he set many passing records. He was the first quarterback to throw over 40,000 yards. His record of touchdown passes in forty- seven consecutive games still stands today. Unitas was named NFL MVP three times and selected to the Pro Bowl ten times. He played for the Colts up to his final year when he was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1973.