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George Frederick Blanda
Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 1, 1981 (first year of eligibility)
Class of 1981
Quarterback-Kicker >>> 6-2, 215
(Kentucky)
Joined Raiders: Trade, Houston, 1967
1949 Chicago Bears, 1950 Baltimore Colts, 1950-1958 Chicago Bears, 1960-1966 Houston Oilers, 1967-1975 Oakland Raiders
Born September 17, 1927, in Youngwood, Pennsylvania
George Blanda played pro football for 26 seasons - longer than any other person. However, he'll probably be remembered best for his 1970 season with the Oakland Raiders. That year, in a five-game period, George provided Oakland with four wins and one tie with last-second touchdown passes or field goals - at age 43.
The string started with a three-touchdown passing and one field goal outburst against Pittsburgh and continued with a 48-yard field goal with three seconds left to tie Kansas City. He threw a scoring pass and added a 52-yard field goal in the last 96 seconds to defeat Cleveland. Next came a winning touchdown toss against Denver and a last-instant field goal to upend San Diego.
During his career, Blanda accumulated impressive credentials. He passed for 236 touchdowns and scored an incredible 2,002 points. In 1970, he became the oldest quarterback to play in a title game. Although the Baltimore Colts won 27-17, Blanda accounted for all of the Raiders' points off two touchdown passes and one field goal. Blanda's career was divided into three distinct parts, 10 years with the Chicago Bears followed by seven seasons with the Houston Oilers and nine-years with the Oakland Raiders. He was just a month shy of his 49th birthday when he retired before the 1976 season.
Blanda did not become a fulltime starter until his fifth season with the Bears and in 1954 he was shelved by an injury. In 1959, he balked at becoming a kicker-only and retired. But the emergence of the American Football League in 1960 gave Blanda another chance to play. He went on to lead the Oilers to the first two AFL titles and won AFL Player of the Year honors in 1961. In 1967, when Blanda was almost 40, the Oilers decided he was through but the Raiders saw George as a contributing backup passer and a dependable kicker so they picked him up. George handled both jobs with distinction for another nine seasons.
Famous for last-minute heroics in five straight 1970 games
Scored then-record 2,002 points.
Held or tied for 21 title game, 16 regular-season marks
Passed for 7 TDs one game, 36 in season, 1961
1961 AFL, 1970 AFC Player of the Year
Named to AFL-NFL 25-year All-Star team
Played in 11 championship games, seven with Raiders
Named 1970 Player of the Year for quarterbacking and kicking feats
Career passing totals: 4,007 attempts, 26,920 yards, 236 TDs
Kicked 335 field goals, including nine of 50 yards or more
Raiders all-time scoring leader with 863 points
Led NFL eight times in extra points scored in a season, including 64 in 1961
26-season, 340 games career longest ever, Played in 224 straight games
4-time Pro Bowler: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1967
Played until age 48
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