Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas was truly a football player extraordinaire. Unitas was the quarterback for the, then, Baltimore Colts, and he is heralded as probably being the very best quarterback to ever play in the National Football League.

Johnny Unitas was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania on May 7, 1933. His parents, Leon and Helen, were of Lithuanian decent. Leon Unitas was in business for himself delivery coal, but he died when Johnny was only five, leaving Helen to run the business and pick up odd jobs on the side to provide for her four children.

Johnny Unitas had dreams of becoming a football player when he was only twelve years old. He went on to play football at the University of Louisville. He was ultimately drafted by the Pittsburg Steelers in 1955, but was released before he ever even played a game. In 1956, he was signed by the Baltimore Colts and played with that team until 1973. He played the last year of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired in 1974.

Unitas was hailed for his ability to call plays from scrimmage and for his throwing arm, which some referred to as “The Golden Arm.” He played in a time when the rules for professional football made it very difficult for a passer to complete many passes.

Johnny Unitas died on September 11, 2002, one year to the day of the attack on the World Trade Towers in New York City. The country was busy commemorating the 9/11 attacks, so Unitas’ death went mainly unnoticed. Unitas’ panache and enthusiasm for the game of football will live in the hearts of his fans forever.