Johnny Unitas: Career retrospective

On the tough streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Johnny Unitas wrote the first chapters of his legend. He played football at St. Justin’s High School. Unitas dreamed of playing college football at Notre Dame but was rejected. Upon graduation, Unitas continued his football career at the University of Louisville.

The scrawny quarterback from Pittsburgh played for the Louisville Cardinals from 1951-54. He launched 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns over his college career. When Louisville’s athletic department cut athletic funding in 1952, the Cardinals football team had to play Iron Man football. During these tough financial times, Unitas stepped up and played defense and even saw time as the return man. Unitas graduated with a physical education degree.

Unitas was ready to take the NFL by storm after graduating college. He was drafted by his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the 102nd pick in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. The Steelers cut Unitas during training camp.

Out of luck and looking for work to support his wife and kids, Unitas worked construction and became a weekend warrior with the semi-pro Bloomfield Rams. In the bustling streets of Pittsburgh, Unitas was making ends meet while trying to turn his dream into a reality.

When Bloomfield Rams teammate Jim Deglau received a tryout with the Baltimore Colts, he asked Unitas to join him. The two packed their bags and headed for Pittsburgh with empty pockets and big dreams. Colts head coach Weeb Ewbank was impressed with the unknown quarterback’s raw talent. The Colts signed Unitas following his stellar tryout performance. 

When Colts starting quarterback George Shaw broke his leg, Unitas was thrown into the fire. He played well during his rookie year. But it was in his second year that Unitas’ legend came to fruition.

In 1957, Unitas threw for 2,550 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Colts went 7-5. It was their first winning season in franchise history. Unitas was deemed an MVP candidate for his herculean effort in lifting the Colts to prominence. 

The Colts’ good fortunes continued into the 1958 season. Unitas launched 2,007 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns while the Colts went 9-3. This was good enough for a meeting with the New York Giants in the NFL Championship Game.

At Yankee Stadium, Unitas rose to the occasion and led his team to a 23-17 overtime victory over the Giants. Unitas led a two-minute drill that tied the game at 17. In the first overtime in pro football history, Unitas marched the Colts down the field on the game-winning drive. Unitas invented the two-minute drill in the final moments of this game. He finished the day with 349 yards and a touchdown.

The first nationally televised game, the 1958 NFL Championship is considered by some as the greatest game. The game featured 12 Hall of Famers. It also introduced American people to football in the mainstream. The sport's popularity skyrocketed after this game. No game had a more significant impact on football, putting it on the radar as an entertaining sport.

In 1959, Unitas was crowned MVP after launching 2,899 yards and 32 touchdowns. The Colts went 9-3 under Unitas’ leadership. During this stage of his career, no one could throw the ball better than Unitas.

The 1959 Colts beat the New York Giants in a resounding 31-16 victory in a championship rematch, making he Colts back-to-back champions. The Colts were the world-beaters of the NFL in this era.

From 1956-60, Johnny Unitas threw a touchdown pass in 47 straight games, an NFL record. Many thought this record would never be broken. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke the record in the 2012 season. While Brees may be the record-holder, Unitas' original record is much more impressive, considering that the modern NFL is a pass-happy league and Unitas’ era was defined by smash-mouth football.

Unitas led the league in passing yards four times (1957, '58, '59, '60) and passing touchdowns four times ('57, '59, '60, '63). Every time Unitas dropped back in the pocket to make a pass, he invented the blueprint for the modern quarterback. Remember that Unitas played during a 14-game season in a run-dominated era. Lord knows what numbers he’d put up in today’s league.

Unitas continued piling on the stats, throwing for 2,824 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Colts went 12-2, and Unitas was crowned MVP for the second time in his career. The Colts lost the NFL Championship to the Cleveland Browns in a 27-0 shutout.

Unitas suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the 1965 season. Prior to his injury, Unitas was an MVP candidate, and the Colts were poised to win another championship. Unfortunately, the football gods had other plans as the Colts' season was lost to injury.

Unitas bounced back in 1967. The Colts franchise quarterback launched 3,428 yards and 20 touchdowns en route to his third and final MVP. The Colts went 11-1-2 that year. Fun fact: Unitas’ favorite targets were Jimmy Orr and Hall of Famers John Mackey, Lenny Moore, and Raymond Berry. They put up numbers unlike anything seen before.

Following his stellar 1967 season, the reigning NFL MVP played in just five games with an arm injury. Regardless, the Colts won the 1968 NFL Championship Game and stampeded toward Super Bowl III. Unitas was thrown into the starting lineup late in the game to make something happen. In the end, the New York Jets won the game after Joe Namath’s guarantee.

The NFL and AFL merged in 1970. This shaped the modern NFL. In the inaugural season of the modern NFL, Unitas passed for 2,213 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading the Colts to 11-2-1. He led the Colts to victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V by a score of 16-13. Unitas suffered a rib injury in the second quarter that kept him out of the game. Backup quarterback Earl Morrall filled in and sealed the deal. 

Unitas was now an NFL Champion and a Super Bowl Champion, making his legacy impenetrable to criticism as one of the greatest.

Riding high from their Super Bowl victory, the Colts crashed back to Earth. They never reached the Super Bowl again under Unitas, who split starts with Morrall. At this stage of his career, Unitas was one of the most revered players in the league, but his body gave out to the wear and tear of the hits he endured.

Unitas was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1973. In his lone season as a Charger at age 40, Unitas threw for 471 yards, three touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The Chargers went 4-9-1, and Unitas was eventually replaced by future Hall of Famer Dan Fouts. Unitas retired from the NFL in 1974.

One of the greatest athletes in Baltimore history, Unitas finished his storied career with 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns. His blue-collar background made him perfect for the city of Baltimore. He came from nothing and became the greatest quarterback of his era by a wide margin. Clutch, poised, calm and tough while possessing great leadership skills, Unitas had everything you want from a franchise quarterback. 

Unitas was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. While Unitas tragically passed away in 2002 due to a heart attack at 69, his legend lives on forever.