Top 50 NFL Quarterbacks: #45

George Blanda

George Blanda is one of the most famous names of the early NFL, but the majority of his notoriety comes from what he did as a placekicker, not at the quarterback position, although he was pretty good there as well.

Blanda began his career with the Chicago Bears in 1949, finally earning the starting quarterback job in his fifth season, but it only lasted two years, when an injury ended his season early and caused the Bears to look elsewhere for a QB. He spent the next 4 years as a kicker only, and he became so fed up with Coach Halas' insistence that he would not put him back at quarterback that he retired in 1958.

After one year out of football, the 33-year-old Blanda had the stroke of luck he wanted when the AFL was formed and teams started gobbling up castoff players. He landed with the Houston Oilers, which he led to a 10-4 record and a berth in the first AFL championship game, which they won behind a great game from Blanda, who went 16 for 31, racked up 301 yards, and threw 3 touchdowns without a pick.

The following season he took them back the the championship game, which they again won despite a mediocre game from Blanda, who was only 18 for 40 for 160 yards and the game's only touchdown. The team was able to overcome his 5 interceptions, partly due to the opposing quarterback throwing 4 of his own. He took them to one more title game in 1962, but they failed to threepeat, going down to the Dallas Texans 20-17.

Blanda played 7 seasons with the Oilers, who finally decided that the 39-year-old QB was washed up, but rather than retire, he signed on with the Oakland Raiders to play kicker and backup quarterback, which he did for another 9 years, finally retiring at age 48 as the league's all-time leading scorer.

Among the many record he still holds are oldest player to participate in a game (age 48), most interceptions in a season (42), most extra points made (943 out of 959), and most touchdown passes in a game (7). Despite playing for 26 seasons, he was only a starting quarterback for 9 and only a good one for 3, but his play in the first AFL title game was the reason the Oilers won, and he was good enough in the next two years guiding them to more title games that he qualifies as one of the all-time greatest QB's.