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.jpg) Blanda depicted on a 1954 Bowman football card | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 22, 64, 16 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback Placekicker | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | September 17, 1927 Youngwood, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Died: | September 27, 2010 (aged 83) Alameda, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Youngwood (Youngwood, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Kentucky (1945–1948) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1949 / Round: 12 / Pick: 119 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL/AFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). 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 retired from pro football in August 1976 as the sport's oldest player at the age of 48, a mark that still stands.[1][2] One of only three players to play in four different decades (the other two being John Carney and Jeff Feagles), he holds the record for most extra points made (943) and attempted (959).[3]
Collegiate career
Blanda was a quarterback and kicker at Kentucky from 1945 to 1948. 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. The Wildcats lost only three games in each of the next three years.[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.[5]
Professional career
Chicago Bears
Blanda was signed by the Chicago Bears for $600 in 1949, an amount owner George Halas demanded back when he made the team. Blanda was given a lucrative contract of $6000, as the $600 was just a sign on bonus. While primarily used as a quarterback and placekicker, Blanda also saw time on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker. 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. For the next four years, he was used mostly in a kicking capacity. Later commenting on his testy relationship with Halas, Blanda noted, "he was too cheap to even buy me a kicking shoe."[3] Blanda later reflected that by the 1950s the pro game had moved beyond Halas, who seemed to lack the interest he had earlier.
Houston Oilers
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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. He signed with the Houston Oilers as both a quarterback and kicker. 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. During that season, he led the AFL in passing yards (3,330) and touchdown passes (36). His 36 touchdown passes in 1961 were the most ever thrown by any NFL/AFL quarterback in a single season, until matched by Y. A. Tittle of the NFL New York Giants two years later in 1963. Blanda's and Tittle's mark remained the record until surpassed by Dan Marino's 48 touchdown passes in 1984. In the 1961 title game, he threw five interceptions, becoming the fourth quarterback in football history to do so in a playoff game. However, the Oilers won 10-3 on the strength of a tough defense that held the San Diego Chargers to no points until late in the fourth quarter, and Blanda made a field goal and threw a touchdown pass to Billy Cannon in the win. Of all players to throw five interceptions or more in a playoff game, Blanda is the only one who did not lose the game.[6]
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. Blanda passed for 36 touchdowns that season. Blanda threw 42 interceptions that season, a record that still stands as the only quarterback to throw 40 interceptions in a season. In the 1962 title game that went to double overtime, he kicked a field goal and threw for a touchdown pass but had his fifth interception occur late to eventually set up the game-ending field goal.[7][8] On thirteen occasions, he connected on four or more touchdown passes during a game, and on November 1, 1964, unleashed 68 passes for Houston against the eventual champion Buffalo Bills.
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. The 1966 season would see Blanda's Oilers begin the season with a 3–5 record despite a statistically prolific connection with receiver Charley Frazier. Blanda would cede playing time at quarterback to the 25-year-old Don Trull, though Blanda continued to serve as the team's primary kicker.[9] A four-time AFL All-Star, Blanda's already-long career seemed over when he was released by the Oilers on March 18, 1967. However, the Oakland Raiders signed him that July, seeing his potential as a contributing backup passer and a dependable kicker.
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." 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. I just regret we didn't get the chance to prove it."
Oakland Raiders
In 1967, Blanda's first season with the Raiders, his kicking skills helped him lead the AFL in scoring with 116 points. 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. Three weeks later, the Raiders met the Oilers again in the AFL Championship Game and won 40–7.
The Raiders went on to compete in Super Bowl II, but lost the game to the Green Bay Packers.
In 1970, Blanda was released during the exhibition season, but bounced back to establish his 21st professional season. During that season, Blanda, at age 43, had a remarkable five-game run. Against the Steelers, Blanda threw for three touchdowns in relief of an injured Daryle Lamonica. One week later, his 48-yard field goal with three seconds remaining salvaged a 17–17 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs. 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. Immediately after the winning field goal, Raiders radio announcer Bill King excitedly declared, "George Blanda has just been elected King of the World!"[10] 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.[11] The following week, Blanda's 16-yard field goal in the closing seconds defeated the San Diego Chargers, 20–17.
In the AFC title game against the Baltimore Colts, Blanda again relieved an injured Lamonica, completing 17 of 32 passes for 217 yards and two 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. Aged 43, he became the oldest quarterback ever to play in a championship game, and was one of the few remaining straight-ahead kickers in the NFL.
Blanda's achievements resulted in his winning the Bert Bell Award. Chiefs' owner Lamar Hunt said, "Why, this George Blanda is as good as his father, who used to play for Houston." Although he never again played a major role at quarterback, Blanda served as the Raiders' kicker for five more seasons. Blanda was also named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, being the first-ever professional football player to earn the award.
He played in his last game at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium on January 4, 1976, at age 48,[12] 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. Blanda 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.[2] (Steinfort was injured in mid-season,[13] and was replaced by 35-year-old veteran Errol Mann.)[14] He would be released by the Raiders and retire in 1976.
NFL/AFL career statistics
| Legend | |
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| AFL MVP | |
| Won the AFL championship | |
| NFL record | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Underline | Incomplete data |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Kicking | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | FGM | FGA | Lng | FG% | XPM | XPA | XP% | Pts | ||
| 1949 | CHI | 12 | 2 | — | 9 | 21 | 42.9 | 197 | 9.4 | 44 | 0 | 5 | 37.3 | 7 | 15 | — | 46.7 | 0 | 0 | — | 21 |
| 1950 | BAL | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| CHI | 11 | 0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | 6 | 15 | — | 40.0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | |
| 1951 | CHI | 12 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 6 | 17 | — | 35.3 | 26 | 26 | 100.0 | 44 |
| 1952 | CHI | 12 | 2 | 1−1 | 47 | 131 | 35.9 | 664 | 5.1 | 59 | 8 | 11 | 38.5 | 6 | 25 | — | 24.0 | 30 | 30 | 100.0 | 48 |
| 1953 | CHI | 12 | 12 | 3−8−1 | 169 | 362 | 46.7 | 2,164 | 6.0 | 72 | 14 | 23 | 52.3 | 7 | 20 | — | 35.0 | 27 | 27 | 100.0 | 48 |
| 1954 | CHI | 8 | 7 | 4−3 | 131 | 281 | 46.6 | 1,929 | 6.9 | 76 | 15 | 17 | 62.1 | 8 | 16 | — | 50.0 | 23 | 23 | 100.0 | 47 |
| 1955 | CHI | 12 | 0 | — | 42 | 97 | 43.3 | 459 | 4.7 | 51 | 4 | 7 | 41.6 | 11 | 16 | — | 68.8 | 37 | 37 | 100.0 | 70 |
| 1956 | CHI | 12 | 0 | — | 37 | 69 | 53.6 | 439 | 6.4 | 69 | 7 | 4 | 82.9 | 12 | 28 | — | 42.9 | 45 | 47 | 95.7 | 81 |
| 1957 | CHI | 12 | 0 | — | 8 | 19 | 42.1 | 65 | 3.4 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 11.8 | 14 | 26 | — | 53.8 | 23 | 23 | 100.0 | 65 |
| 1958 | CHI | 12 | 0 | — | 2 | 7 | 28.6 | 19 | 2.7 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | 11 | 23 | — | 47.8 | 36 | 37 | 97.3 | 69 |
| 1960 | HOU | 14 | 11 | 8−3 | 169 | 363 | 46.6 | 2,413 | 6.6 | 88 | 24 | 22 | 65.4 | 15 | 32 | 53 | 45.5 | 46 | 47 | 97.9 | 91 |
| 1961 | HOU | 14 | 11 | 9−2 | 187 | 362 | 51.7 | 3,330 | 9.2 | 80 | 36 | 22 | 91.3 | 16 | 29 | 55 | 55.2 | 64 | 65 | 98.5 | 112 |
| 1962 | HOU | 14 | 14 | 11−3 | 197 | 418 | 47.1 | 2,810 | 6.7 | 78 | 27 | 42 | 51.3 | 11 | 26 | 54 | 42.3 | 48 | 49 | 98.0 | 81 |
| 1963 | HOU | 14 | 13 | 6−7 | 224 | 423 | 53.0 | 3,003 | 7.1 | 80 | 24 | 25 | 70.1 | 9 | 24 | 46 | 37.5 | 39 | 39 | 100.0 | 66 |
| 1964 | HOU | 14 | 13 | 4−9 | 262 | 505 | 51.9 | 3,287 | 6.5 | 80 | 17 | 27 | 61.4 | 13 | 29 | 49 | 44.8 | 37 | 38 | 97.4 | 76 |
| 1965 | HOU | 14 | 12 | 3−9 | 186 | 442 | 42.1 | 2,542 | 5.8 | 95 | 20 | 30 | 47.9 | 11 | 21 | 45 | 52.4 | 28 | 28 | 100.0 | 61 |
| 1966 | HOU | 14 | 8 | 3−5 | 122 | 271 | 45.0 | 1,764 | 6.5 | 79 | 17 | 21 | 55.3 | 16 | 30 | 51 | 53.3 | 39 | 40 | 97.5 | 87 |
| 1967 | OAK | 14 | 0 | — | 15 | 38 | 39.5 | 285 | 7.5 | 50 | 3 | 3 | 59.6 | 20 | 30 | 46 | 66.7 | 56 | 57 | 98.2 | 116 |
| 1968 | OAK | 14 | 1 | 1−0 | 30 | 49 | 61.2 | 522 | 10.7 | 94 | 6 | 2 | 120.1 | 21 | 34 | 48 | 61.8 | 54 | 54 | 100.0 | 117 |
| 1969 | OAK | 14 | 0 | — | 6 | 13 | 46.2 | 73 | 5.6 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 71.5 | 20 | 37 | 46 | 54.1 | 45 | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=George_Blanda|||