Football legend George Blanda dead at 83

[bluestateguy]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- 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.

A quarterback who doubled as a placekicker, Blanda retired in 1975 at age 48. During stints with the Raiders, the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts and the Houston Oilers, he scored a then-record 2,002 points, including 236 touchdown passes.

Blanda died after a brief illness, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.

Blanda was the NFL Player of the Year in 1970, the season that a string of last-minute touchdown passes or field goals led to a string of Raiders wins and one tie in five straight games. Raiders owner Al Davis, a personal friend, once called him "the greatest clutch player the game of pro football has ever known."

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Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/09/27/obit.blanda/?hpt=T2

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I didn't even know he was still alive.

And 26 years in the NFL?! Wow. That's just unthinkable today, especially with all of the overpaid, glass jaw athletes we have today who sit on the bench because of a hangnail.

And he lived to be 83, which itself is rare for pro-football players.

[ladywnch]

1. I was just thinking of him the other day. telling my kids about how he

played well into his 40s (had no idea it was 48!) and they were awestruck.


RIP

[The Wizard]

2. One of a kind (NT)

[JoeyTrib]

11. +1

:toast:

[BootinUp]

3. Made of some tough stuff

Only read about his exploits never saw him play.

[SargeUNN]

4. RIP George Blanda

I had the honor of seeing him play. He was something special. He will be missed.

[sofa king]

5. I remember getting his football card when I was a kid.

The 1975 year was the first year I started collecting football cards. The back of Blanda's card had no room for a biography, just stats going back to 1949. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

[rpannier]

6. RIP

I remember him playing for the Raiders

Sad to see he's passed away. But 82 is a long life.

[pansypoo53219]

7. retired at 48.

what's all the beef about favre retiring.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Exactly!!

I wonder how much pounding Blanda got compared to Favre?

They didn't have as much protection with helmets, shoulder pads and padding as now. But there may be a lot more punishing blows now because the defense is bigger, faster and more punishing. But they could get away with a lot more on the QB's back then too.

[blindpig]

13. It used to be a street fight.

Couldn't get away with any of that shit nowadays. Even the toughest of the tough had their careers shortened...

[Gman]

8. Gee, didn't he retire last year?

or was it the year before?

[muntrv]

9. Brett Favre is in his 20th year in the NFL.

[getting old in mke]

15. Brett and George

Both of them outliers.

George was the forever player of my youth. It was hard to imagine football without him when he left. It always seemed that somehow he'd be pulled out of a team's back pocket at the last minute to save the day.

Brett, even with all his latter day shenanigans, has a forever-ness about him, too. I can't imagine him getting to 26 years, though.

In terms of wear and tear? Who knows. Yes, they played dirtier (in absolute terms, not for the time), but they were also about half the size and, in general, not nearly the full-blown athletes of today. And George was a full-time starting QB for only 10 or so of his years in the league, the rest of the time a backup QB and kicker. Brett has many more starts, so more landing underneath a pile of big ol' guys. Still, both are remarkable.

[getting old in mke]

16. As opposed to George Brett...

[BlueCollar]

12. RIP

As a Raider fan I was saddened to hear the news today. Hopefully Al Davis will see his way clear to ensuring that the Oakland Raiders Organization will provide a fitting tribute.

http://www.raiders.com/

[HughBeaumont]

14. I just remember seeing him on old NFL footage in the 70s on NFL Films.

The music reminded me of ELP's version of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". Those guys could hit like fiends. It's no wonder many of them can barely walk and have onset dementia.

RIP.

[Odin2005]

17. 26 years? HOLY CRAP!!!

RIP.

[classysassy]

18. I remember George Blanda

as a rookie with the Chicago Bears.He was drafted out of the universaty of Kentucky.The Bears had four QB's,I hope I remember the numbers,if I am wrong I am sure there are some old Bear fans that will set me straight.Sid Luckman#12 out of Columbia,Johnny Lujack #22 Notre Dame,Bobby Layne #32,Texas,Blanda #42.The year 1947 or 48.