[4], Blanda was the starting quarterback his last two seasons at Kentucky (1947–1948), compiling 120 completions in 242 passes (49.6 percent completions), 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns. Blanda was also named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, being the first-ever professional football player to earn the award. Blanda retired after the 1975 season, at 48 the oldest man to play in a National Football League game, and at the time the only one to have played in four separate decades. Although he never again played a major role at quarterback, Blanda served as the Raiders' kicker for five more seasons. You may see old George Blanda acting stupid, but you won't see him acting drunk!". He was nearly 50 when he retired from the NFL. Blanda retired after the 1958 season because of Halas' insistence on only using him as a kicker, but returned in 1960 upon the formation of the American Football League. But none of them have anything on George Blanda. and would last until 1976. From 1963 to 1965, Blanda led the AFL in passing attempts and completions, and ranked in the top ten for attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns during seven consecutive seasons. Blanda also held the NFL record for most interceptions thrown with 277, until Brett Favre broke it on October 14, 2007. Blanda held the record for most professional football games played with 340 until September 26, 2004, when it was broken by another placekicker, Morten Andersen as well as the record for most consecutive games played[15] until September 26, 1976, by defensive end Jim Marshall. He was a kicker and quarterback for the Oakland Raiders from 1967 until he retired in 1976 at age 48. Blanda was signed by the Chicago Bears for $600 in 1949, an amount owner George Halas demanded back when he made the team, as Blanda was given a lucrative contract for much more money[clarification needed]. Chiefs' owner Lamar Hunt said, "Why, this George Blanda is as good as his father, who used to play for Houston." George Blanda was born on September 17, 1927 in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, USA as George Frederick Blanda. I just regret we didn't get the chance to prove it.". George Frederick Blanda "The Grand Old Man" was born on September 17, 1927, in Youngwood, Pennsylvania. Blanda did not become a fulltime starter until his fifth season with the Bears and in 1954 he was shelved by an injury. until he was 49. Blanda finished his 26 professional football seasons having completed 1,911 of 4,007 pass attempts for 26,920 yards and 236 touchdowns. Survived by his beloved wife Betty and children Leslie Blanda and George F. (Susan) Blanda … Basically, he smoke and drank and ate lots of red meat. Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, "George Blanda not bitter, pulls for Oakland success", "George Blanda, Hall of Fame Football Player, Dies at 83", "Kentucky Wildcats School History: Football", "Kentucky Football Retired Jerseys - UK Wildcats News", "Jameis Winston becomes first QB with 30 touchdowns, 30 interceptions in same season", "NFL Passes Intercepted Single-Season Leaders", "Blanda's miracle season: Browns beaten by 52-yard field goal from 'King of the World, "History: Players Who've Played in NFL at Age 40 or Older", "Nick Foles ties Peyton Manning with 7 touchdown passes, crushes Raiders", "NFL great, Youngwood native Blanda dies", "Sporting News Football's 100 Greatest Players", "Fantasy Football: Craze's roots go back to Oakland", "Hall of Famer's longevity was legendary", "Raiders Hall of Fame QB George Blanda dies at 83", "The Fifth Down, The New York Times NFL Blog", Blanda's citation in the American Football League Hall of Fame, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Blanda&oldid=1020688381, American Football League All-League players, American Football League All-Star players, American Football League Most Valuable Players, People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Players of American football from Pennsylvania, Sportspeople from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, Short description is different from Wikidata, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2017, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 42 interceptions thrown in a single season (1962), Passing touchdowns in a game: 7 (Tied with 7 others, Most seasons played: 26 (1949–58, 1960–75), One of three players to play in 4 different decades (he played in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s) (along with, Most interceptions thrown, single season: 42 (1962). Brady has mentioned playing until he's at least 40, and considering Manning is having one of the best years of his career (and one of the best seasons ever by a quarterback), he shows no signs of slowing down. He was married to Betty Harris. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. In 1970, Blanda was placed on waivers during the late preseason and considered retirement. He's got no future." He was derided by the sports media as an "NFL Reject", but he went on to lead the Oilers to the first two league titles in AFL history, and he was the All-AFL quarterback and won AFL Player of the Year honors in 1961. The Bears record in those 19 games was 7-11-1. In the Season 3 episode "Football Frolics", first aired January 20, 1976, Richie Cunningham (played by Ron Howard) and Ralph Malph (Donny Most) are watching the December 9, 1956, Chicago Bears – Chicago Cardinals televised game. One week later, his 48-yard field goal with three seconds remaining salvaged a 17–17 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs. Besides, unlike, say, a running back who carries the ball 300 times a season, a quarterback's career can last well past the age of 30. One 'insider' said that I was taking hormones, and that was why I was able to play so many games at my ripe old age. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | From 1955 to '58, Blanda was primarily a kicker and a backup to quarterback Ed Brown. He was one of only two players to play in four different decades (John Carney 1988-2010, is the other), and he holds the record for most extra points kicked. © 2004-2021 CBS Interactive. 8:10 am ET, Winners and losers from the 2021 NFL Draft, Report: Aaron Rodgers 'intrigued' by Raiders, Fangio: Lock and Bridgewater will battle for starter, 2021 NFL Draft: Chiefs fan proposes on stage, Report: Aaron Rodgers wants Packers GM gone, Remember When: QB George Blanda played until he was 48, Aaron Rodgers breaks silence in off-camera interview, Kentucky Derby odds, predictions, picks, bets, horses, 2021 Kentucky Derby odds, Essential Quality prediction, 2021 Kentucky Derby picks from a legendary expert. [17], In 1999, Blanda was ranked number 98 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. Well, there is no secret. As impressive as it is for players like Brady or Brees to play into their early 40s, Blanda took it to another level. Blanda won the starting quarterback job in 1953 but lost it the next season because of injury. On November 8, he again came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass to tie the Cleveland Browns with 1:34 remaining, then kicked a 53-yard field goal with 0:03 left for the 23–20 win. George Blanda was the #1 quarterback for the Chicago Bears in 1952 and 1953, starting 19 of the 20 games he played. He was released during training camp in late August 1976, succeeded at kicker by rookie Fred Steinfort,[1] but pulled for the team as the Raiders went on to win the NFL title that season in Super Bowl XI. [23], American football quarterback and placekicker, George Blanda—awards, championships, and honors. In the AFC title game against the Baltimore Colts, Blanda again relieved an injured Lamonica, completing 17 of 32 passes for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns while also kicking a 48-yard field goal and two extra points, keeping the Raiders in the game until the final quarter, when he was intercepted twice. In 1970, Blanda had one of the most magical runs of his career. Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who later won fame and set countless records at conference rivals Alabama, arrived in his sophomore year, following a George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). The Oakland Raiders say Hall of Fame quarterback George Blanda … Blanda played 26 seasons of professional football, the most in the sport's history, and had scored more points than anyone in history at the time of his retirement. Blanda was the son of a Slovak-born Pittsburgh-area coal miner. They had two children. The Wildcats only lost three games in each of the next three years. Pro Football Hall of Famer George Blanda, who racked up more than 2,000 points in a record 26-year career, has died at age 83, the Oakland Raiders announced Monday. "[3] Blanda later reflected that by the 1950s the pro game had moved beyond Halas, who seemed to lack the interest he had earlier. While Peyton Manning, at the age of 37, and Tom Brady, at the age of 36, and Drew Brees, at the age of 34, continue on as three of the best quarterbacks in the league, we sometimes wonder just how much longer this trio will play. That makes Blanda the oldest player ever to compete in the NFL, and by this time 38 years ago, Blanda was making his preparations to retire from the game for good. It was expected that this would signal his retirement. Because if it works for a Hall of Famer like Blanda, why can't it work for everybody? Did Joe Montana ever lose a Super Bowl? The worst five years of my 21 as a pro were the five when I didn't smoke at all. Ralph says that the other quarterback is "washed up. For the next four years, he was used mostly in a kicking capacity. YEAR TEAM G ATT COMP PCT YDS AVG LNG TD INT 1st 1st% 20+ SCK SCKY RATE; 1949 Chicago Bears He died on September 27, 2010 in … During 1962, he had two 400-yard passing days for the Oilers: a 464-yard effort against the Buffalo Bills on October 29, with four touchdown passes (winning 28–16); and 418 yards three weeks later against the Titans of New York, this time with seven touchdown passes in a 49–13 victory. Richie argues back, "George Blanda has two or three good years left." [1][2] The only player to play in four different decades, he holds the record for most extra points made (943) and attempted (959). This did not concern Los Angeles Chargers coach, Sid Gillman, who wrote up the following review of Blanda early in 1960. Blanda played 26 seasons of professional football, the most in the sport's history, and had scored more points than anyone in history at the time of his retirement. In 1959, he balked at becoming a kicker-only and retired. Blanda retired from pro football in August 1976 as the oldest player to ever play at the age of 48. He's 30. The Houston Oilers released him in 1967. Blanda was retired for only a year when the American Football League was formed and began play in 1960. Blanda retired one month shy of his 49th birthday before the 1976 season, playing longer than anyone else in professional football history. Oldest player to play in an NFL game: 48 years, 109 days, First player ever to score over 2,000 points, Oldest quarterback to start a title game - Broken by Tom Brady, Most total points accounted for (including touchdown passes) in a career: 3,418 (not an official stat) - broken by Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 30 April 2021, at 14:14. Joe Montana never lost a Super Bowl. In came George Blanda, who had been in pro football since 1949 (!) 1 of 14 This Jan. 11, 1971 file photo shows George Blanda, sub quarterback and kicking specialist of the Oakland Raiders. [21] A moment of silence was held in Blanda's honor prior to the start of the September 27, 2010 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, from Soldier Field. Blanda had a career that spanned 26 years of playing professional football. He was married to Betty Harris from December 17, 1949 until his death on September 27, 2010. Blanda's achievements resulted in his winning the Bert Bell Award. [18], Blanda was the first-ever recorded fantasy football draft pick when the game was first created in 1962 by The Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League.[19]. Career Stats for QB George Blanda. The new Houston Oilers contacted Blanda to play as their quarterback and kicker. Sports Almanac, Inc. 2005. [3] During his career, he played under head coaches Bear Bryant, George Halas, Clem Crowe, Lou Rymkus, Wally Lemm, Pop Ivy, Sammy Baugh, Hugh Taylor and John Madden. Blanda played with the Raiders for nine seasons and retired one month before his 49th birthday. [9] The following week, Blanda's 16-yard field goal in the closing seconds defeated the San Diego Chargers, 20–17. All Rights Reserved. Blanda wrote for SI. Blanda, Sr., George F. born September 17, 1927 in Youngwood, PA. Celebrated 83 years in 2010. He's old. While primarily used as a quarterback and placekicker, Blanda also saw time on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker. In two instances, his leg helped play a role in Raider victories: a trio of field goals helped upset the defending league champion Kansas City Chiefs on October 1; in the closing weeks of the regular season, Blanda booted four field goals behind a hostile Houston crowd in a 19–7 victory over his former team, the Oilers, helping gain a measure of revenge. Now I've gone back to cigarettes, a pack or two a day, although I don't inhale them. That's because Blanda, who played from 1949-75 with four teams, strapped on his helmet until he was the tender age of 48. Blanda took a trip out to Los Angeles to speak with Gillman, but never had intentions of … However, the Oakland Raiders signed him that July, seeing his potential as a contributing backup passer and a dependable kicker. Harris-Blanda survives him, besides the children. George Blanda retired one month before his 49th birthday after 26 years as a professional football player. George Blanda retired from playing professional football at the age of 48, which makes Blanda the oldest NFL quarterback ever. The Blandas came to America from Czechoslovakia and eventually settled in Westmoreland County, on the western slopes of the Alleghenies in … It was not until 1953 that Blanda emerged as the Bears' top quarterback, but an injury the following year effectively ended his first-string status. In later years, Blanda remained a strong supporter of AFL heritage, saying: "That first year, the Houston Oilers or Los Angeles Chargers (24–16 losers to the Oilers in the title game) could have beaten the NFL champion (Philadelphia) in a Super Bowl." During that season, he led the AFL in passing yards (3,330) and touchdown passes (36). I smoke and I drink. Brett Favre, after all, played until he was 41, while Vinny Testaverde was 44 when he started six games for the Panthers in 2007 and Doug Flutie was 43 when he backed up Brady in 2005. By now he had played for 18 years—a very long time for a football professional. "[8] In the team's next game, Blanda replaced Lamonica in the fourth quarter and connected with Fred Biletnikoff on a touchdown pass with 2:28 left in the game to defeat the Denver Broncos, 24–19. [20] He was 83 years old. Blanda said further: "I think the AFL was capable of beating the NFL in a Super Bowl game as far back as 1960 or '61. After a year off, Blanda returned with the new Oilers squad in the new AFL, and that's when he became a superstar, leading the league in yards in 1961 and 1963 and in completions from 1963-65. The Oilers won the first two AFL titles, but by 1967, the team felt he was too old at the age of 37 and cut him. George Blanda retired from Professional Football in the preseason of 1976. Retirement and Hall of Fame Induction. Blanda was a quarterback and kicker at Kentucky from 1945-1948. [2] (Steinfort was injured in mid-season,[11] and was replaced by 35-year-old veteran Errol Mann.)[12]. Blanda holds the following professional football records: He is the placekicker on the All-Time All-AFL Team, and was one of only 20 players to play all ten years of the AFL, as well as one of only three who were in every AFL game their teams played. Three weeks later, the Raiders met the Oilers again in the AFL Championship Game and won 40–7. He figured that, at age 48, he'd had enough. He has two children. George Blanda was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1970, Blanda was released during the exhibition season, but bounced back to establish his 21st professional season. "Word got out that I had a special diet, that I didn't drink or smoke. [22], The 1970s TV series Happy Days was set in 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His 36 touchdown passes in 1961 were the most ever thrown by any NFL/AFL quarterback in a single season, until matched by Y. Against the Steelers, Blanda threw for three touchdowns in relief of an injured Daryle Lamonica. He spent 10 … George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He still holds the record for most games played by an AFL/NFL player who was not exclusively a kicker or punter. And what delicious baloney it was, because Blanda had five more years to play. After Ed Brown's pass to Harlon Hill is intercepted by the Cardinals, Richie wants "the other quarterback" put in. George Blanda threw for 26,920 yards in his career and retired with the most points in history. My special diet consists of the same things I've been eating ever since I grew up: steak and potatoes and green vegetables. During that season, Blanda, at age 43, had a remarkable five-game run. The joke was that Blanda, 19 years after the date depicted in the show, was still playing. He accepted and soon resumed his pro career in Texas. Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who later won fame and set countless records at Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, arrived in his sophomore year, following a 1–9 season in 1945. After that incredible run, Blanda wrote this for Sports Illustrated. ESPN Sports Almanac 2006, page 273. Just smoke and drink and eat the hell out of some red meat. "After last year people came up to me and said, 'George, how do you do it? But after suffering an injury the next season, he lost his job to Ed Brown, and rather than continue on as simply a place-kicker, he retired in 1959. That's when the Raiders, led by Al Davis, picked him up to back up quarterback Daryle Lamonica and to kick (immediately that season, the Raiders won the AFL title). He played in his last game at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium on January 4, 1976, at age 48,[10] in the 1975 AFC Championship Game, in which he kicked a 41-yard field goal and made one extra point as the Raiders lost to the Steelers 16–10. Remember When: QB George Blanda played until he was 48. A. Tittle of the NFL New York Giants two years later in 1963. I sip it, and I limit myself to two or three drinks. Immediately after the winning field goal, Raiders radio announcer Bill King excitedly declared, "George Blanda has just been elected King of the World! Blanda's history went something like this. Blanda was a quarterback and kicker at the University of Kentucky. George Blanda, quarterback and kicker, played in the N.F.L. He didn't actually become a starting quarterback until his fifth year in the league, when he led the NFL in completions in 1953. He was just a month shy of his 49th birthday when he retired before the 1976 season. A four-time AFL All-Star, Blanda's already-long career seemed over when he was released by the Oilers on March 18, 1967. His 114 postseason points were an NFL record at the time of his retirement. What's your secret?'" The late George Blanda was a study in persistence, perseverance and durability. So, that's pretty awesome. As for alcohol, I enjoy bourbon -- it's part of my University of Kentucky background -- but I don't guzzle it down like water. At the time, former Chicago Bears QB, George Blanda, was “retired” from football. The Raiders went on to compete in Super Bowl II, but lost the final two AFL Championship games in the ten-year history of the league. Blanda's and Tittle's mark remained the record until surpassed by Dan Marino's 48 touchdown passes in 1984. George Blanda in 1975. He signed with the Houston Oilers as both a quarterback and kicker. (Associated Press/File 1971) Associated Press / September 28, 2010 Additional stats include 1 interception, 2 kickoff returns for 19 yards, 22 punts for 809 yards, and 23 fumble recoveries. The Bears drafted him in the 12th round of the 1949 draft and signed him as a backup quarterback and kicker for a $600 signing bonus. Blanda was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981, his first year of eligibility, and also was inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Fame. Thirty-eight years ago, George Blanda was making plans to retire form the NFL for good. In 1967, Blanda's first season with the Raiders, his kicking skills helped him lead the AFL in scoring with 116 points. A four-time AFL All-Star, Blanda took it to another level 1976, George... Steelers, Blanda noted, `` he was married to Betty Harris from 17... 'Ve been eating ever since I grew up: steak and potatoes and vegetables. Passes ( 36 ) Bears starting job in 1953 but lost it the next four years, he at! 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