Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 18 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Colts. Nicknamed "Johnny U." and "the Golden Arm", Unitas was considered the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback and is regarded as one of the greatest NFL players of all time.
During his professional career from 1956 to 1973, Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors. He helped lead the Colts to four championship titles; three in the pre-merger era in 1958, 1959, and 1968, and one in the Super Bowl era in Super Bowl V. His first championship victory is regarded as one of the league's greatest games and is credited with helping popularize the NFL. Between 1956 and 1960, he set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47, which held for 52 years.
Unitas is one of only six players to be named to the NFL's 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. He led the league in fourth quarter comebacks in six seasons, more than any other quarterback, and is praised for his development of the hurry-up offense. Unitas was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
Early life
John Constantine Unitas was born during the Great Depression on May 7, 1933, in Pittsburgh to Francis J. Unitas and Helen Superfisky, the third of four children. Both parents were of Lithuanian descent; his surname was a result of a phonetic transliteration of a common Lithuanian last name Jonaitis. The elder Unitas ran a modest coal delivery business. Unitas grew up in the Mount Washington neighborhood with a Catholic upbringing.When Unitas was five years old, his father died of cardiovascular renal disease complicated by pneumonia, leaving the young boy and his siblings to be raised by their mother. When some relatives wanted to split up her children to different homes she refused, determined to keep the family together. She continued the coal delivery business, and worked as an office cleaner four nights a week, from 10 pm to 6 am.
At St. Justin's High School in Pittsburgh, Unitas played halfback and quarterback, becoming the best quarterback in the Catholic "B" League, under coach Max Carey. Hundreds of fans would come to his games to watch Unitas throw his "jump pass", which could be as far as 60 yards in the air. In his senior year, Unitas was named quarterback on Pittsburgh's All-Catholic High School Team.
College career
In his younger years, Unitas dreamed about being part of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, but when he tried out for the team, coach Frank Leahy said that he was just too skinny and he would "get murdered" if he was put on the field. Other sources say Leahy was not present at Unitas's workout for Notre Dame, and assistant coach Bernie Crimmins passed on Unitas, because he thought the team's fans could not accept a 135-pound quarterback. A later scholarship offer at the University of Pittsburgh was withdrawn. In 1952, Crimmins became Indiana University's head coach and attempted to recruit Unitas away from a collapsing Louisville program, but Unitas was loyal and stayed at Louisville.Unitas attended the University of Louisville, under coach Frank Camp, after being recruited by young assistant coach Frank Gitschier. Gitschier would later teach Unitas the basics of quarterback play, give the introduction speech at Unitas's Hall of Fame induction in 1979, and in 2002 give a eulogy at Unitas's funeral. In his four-year career as a Louisville Cardinal, Unitas completed 245 passes for 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns. Reportedly, the Unitas weighed on his first day of practice. His first start was in the fifth game of the 1951 season against St. Bonaventure, where Unitas completed 11 consecutive passes and three touchdowns to give the Cardinals a 21–19 lead. Louisville ended up losing the game 22–21 on a disputed field goal, but found a new starting quarterback. Unitas also played safety on defense. Unitas completed 12 of 19 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns in a 35–28 victory over Houston, including a 92-yard touchdown pass. The team finished the season 5–4 overall and 4–1 with Unitas starting. He completed 46 of 99 passes for 602 yards and nine touchdowns.
In 1952, the team's motto was, "Unitas We Stand, Divided We Fall". However, the university had decided to de-emphasize sports. The new president at Louisville, Dr. Philip Grant Davidson, reduced the amount of athletic aid and tightened academic standards for athletes. As a result, 15 players scholarships were terminated. Unitas maintained his by taking on a new elective: square dancing. In 1952, coach Frank Camp switched the team to two-way football. Unitas not only played safety or linebacker on defense and quarterback on offense, but also returned kicks and punts on special teams. The Cardinals won their first game against Wayne State, and then Florida State in the second game. Unitas completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. In the next game against Florida State, Louisville won 41–14. While under the Seminole rush, Unitas, a right-hander, threw a left-handed pass between his legs for 15 yards, as reported by future Florida State quarterback Lee Corso who had seen film of the play and marveled at Unitas' quickness. The rest of the season was a struggle for the Cardinals, who finished 3–5. Unitas completed 106 of 198 passes for 1,540 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The team won their first game in 1953, against Murray State, and lost the rest for a record of 1–7. One of the most memorable games of the season came in a 59–6 loss against Tennessee, which was played in Knoxville, Tennessee. Unitas completed 9 out of 19 passes for 73 yards, rushed 9 times for 52 yards, returned six kickoffs for 85 yards, fielded one punt for three yards, and had 86 percent of the team's tackles. The only touchdown the team scored was in the fourth quarter when Unitas made a fake pitch to the running back and ran the ball 23 yards for a touchdown. His also kicked off and punted that day. When one of his teammates was injured in the third quarter, Unitas lifted him up and carried the injured man off the field.
Unitas himself was hurt later in the fourth quarter while trying to run the ball, and was helped off the field. As described by Bob Wilson of the Knoxville News-Sentinel, "'Battered and bruised, Unitas was helped off the field later in the final period as the spectators saluted his gifted and courageous play with an ovation that resounded across Loudon Lake." When he got to the locker room he was so tired that his jersey and shoulder pads had to be cut off because he could not lift his arms. Louisville ended the season with a 20–13 loss to Eastern Kentucky. Unitas completed 49 of 95 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns.
Unitas was elected captain for the 1954 season, but due to an early injury did not see much playing time. His first start was the third game of the season, against Florida State. Of the 34-man team, 21 were freshmen. The 1954 Cardinals went 3–6, with their last win at home against Morehead State. Unitas was slowed by so many injuries his senior year his 527 passing yards ended second to Jim Houser's 560.
During his time at Louisville, Unitas was 247 for 502 passing, for 2,912 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Professional career
Pittsburgh Steelers
After his collegiate career, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL drafted Unitas in the ninth round. However, he was released before the season began as the odd man out among four quarterbacks trying to fill three spots. Steelers' head coach Walt Kiesling had made up his mind about Unitas; he thought he was not smart enough to quarterback an NFL team, and he was not given any snaps in practice with the Steelers. Among those edging out Unitas was Ted Marchibroda, whom Unitas lost to in his first college game years earlier, future longtime NFL head coach. Out of pro football, Unitas—by this time married—worked in construction in Pittsburgh to support his family. On the weekends, he played quarterback, safety and punter on a local semi-professional team called the Bloomfield Rams for $6 a game.Baltimore Colts
In 1956, Unitas joined the Baltimore Colts of the NFL under legendary coach Weeb Ewbank, after being asked at the last minute to join Bloomfield Rams lineman Jim Deglau, a Croatian steelworker with a life much like Unitas, at the latter's scheduled Colts tryout. The pair borrowed money from friends to pay for the gas to make the trip. Deglau later told a reporter after Unitas's death, " uncle told him not to come. was worried that if he came down and the Colts passed on him, it would look bad." The Colts signed Unitas, much to the chagrin of the Cleveland Browns, who had hoped to claim the former Steeler quarterback.Unitas made his NFL debut with an inauspicious "mop-up" appearance against Detroit, going 0–2 with one interception. Two weeks later, starting quarterback George Shaw suffered a broken leg against the Chicago Bears. In his first serious action, Unitas's initial pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Then he botched a hand-off on his next play, resulting in a fumble recovered by the Bears. Unitas rebounded quickly from that 58–27 loss, leading the Colts to an upset of Green Bay and their first win over Cleveland. He threw nine touchdown passes that year, including one in the season finale that started his record 47-game streak. His 55.6-percent completion mark was a rookie record.
In 1957, his first season as the Colts full-time starter at quarterback, Unitas finished first in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes as he helped lead the Colts to a 7–5 record, the first winning record in franchise history. At season's end, Unitas received the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.