Former Kentucky and AFL/NFL great George Blanda passed away today just 10 days after his 83rd birthday. George had many accomplishments while at Kentucky:
- Played at the University Of Kentucky from 1945 to 1948, coached by Bernie Shively his freshman year and his last 3 seasons coached by Paul “Bear” Bryant
- Named captain of the 1948 team
- Member of the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl champions, defeating Villanova 24-14 in Cleveland, Ohio
- Kentucky’s leading passer in both 1947 and 1948, throwing for a combined 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns over those 2 seasons
- Kentucky’s total offense leader in 1948, piling up 918 yards
- 5th all-time in Kentucky history in career average yards per punt at 39.771
- Led Kentucky in punting all 3 seasons, 1946-1948, with his best season being 1948 when he averaged 40.4 yards per punt
- Elected to the University Of Kentucky Athletic Hall Of Fame
Blanda accomplished even more while playing professional football:
- The 119th pick, 12th round, of the 1949 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears
- Played from 1949-1975, 26 seasons, for the Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers, and Oakland Raiders
- Was versatile, playing both quarterback and placekicker, and sometimes linebacker
- Selected to 4 AFL All-Star Games
- Named to 5 All-AFL Teams
- 3 time NFL All-Pro selection
- 1963 AFL MVP
- Named to the AFL All-Time Team
- Twice the AFL leader in passing yards (1961, 1963)
- AFL leader in passing touchdowns once (1961)
- Member of 3 AFL championship teams (1960, 1961, 1967)
- Threw for 7 touchdowns in one game, still tied for most in a single game in NFL history
- Most seasons played in NFL history played at 26
- One of only 2 players ever to play in 4 different decades (Jeff Feagles is the other)
- Most PATs made and attempted in a career in NFL History
- Most interceptions thrown in a single season in NFL history
- Oldest person to ever play in a NFL game (48 years, 109 days)
- First player in NFL history to score 2,000 career points
- Selected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 1981
Not to mention that a road in his hometown of Youngwood, Pennsylvania was renamed in his honor, George Blanda Boulevard, in 1985.
Needless to say, George will be greatly missed as one of the greatest football players in the history of both the University Of Kentucky and the AFL/NFL. Thoughts go out to George’s family through this tough time.
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