Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas Dies

Aired September 12, 2002 - 06:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And the football world is mourning the loss of a legend. Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas died yesterday after suffering a heart attack. During his 18 year career as a quarterback, he broke nearly every NFL passing record and won three championships with the Baltimore Colts. Unitas was only 69 years old.
More now on his career from CNN's Matt Morrison.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT MORRISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a generation of football fans, Johnny Unitas defined what it meant to be a quarterback. A ninth round draft pick out of Louisville in 1955, Unitas was actually cut by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. After playing semi-pro ball, he signed with the Baltimore Colts the next season and over the next 17 years, the steely-eyed kid with the flattop haircut went from leftover to legend.

In 1957, Unitas led the Colts to their first winning season and was selected for the first of his 10 pro-Bowl appearances. In '58, the Colts advanced to the NFL championship game against the New York Giants in what would be the league's first ever sudden death overtime contest. Unitas was the master of the two minute drill and in sudden death, he worked it to perfection.

Unitas marched Baltimore down field like a general in battle, finally handing the ball to Alan Amichi (ph), who plunged in for the winning touchdown. The Colts 23-17 victory has been hailed as the greatest game ever played.

The next season, Unitas and the Colts defended their title against the Giants, for Baltimore's second straight NFL championship.

Unitas' old school toughness usually allowed him to shake off injuries. But in 1968, he was injured for most of the season, as backup quarterback Earl Morrill (ph) led Baltimore to a 13-1 record and two play-off wins.

Then, in Super Bowl 3, Baltimore ran into the AFL's upstart New York Jets, led by cocky young quarterback Joe Namath, who once kept a poster of Unitas in his bedroom.

Unitas came off the bench in the fourth quarter to lead Baltimore to a touchdown, but it wasn't enough, as the Jets won 16-7 in one of the greatest upsets in NFL history.

Though many of his records would eventually be surpassed, Unitas retired from football as the NFL's all time leader in passing yardage and touchdowns and he still holds the record for throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

Despite his success on the field, his life in retirement had its share of troubles. Unitas had to declare bankruptcy in 1991 and he failed to get the NFL to compensate him for the effects of an injury he sustained to a once golden right arm. Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and in 1994 he was voted to the NFL's 75th anniversary team.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com