No. 1 then ...
When Unitas retired after the 1973 season, he topped the quarterback charts.
Attempts Totals
1. UNITAS ............................ 5,186
2. John Brodie....................... 4,491
3. Fran Tarkenton ................. 4,449
Completions Totals
1. UNITAS ........................... 2,830
2. John Brodie ..................... 2,469
3. Fran Tarkenton ................ 2,459
Yards Totals
1. UNITAS ......................... 40,239
2. Fran Tarkenton ............. 33,248
3. John Brodie .................. 31,548
TD passes Totals
1. UNITAS ........................... 290
2. Fran Tarkenton ............... 249
3. Sonny Jurgensen ............ 244
Where he stands now
Attempts Totals
1. Dan Marino ................... 8,358
2. John Elway ................... 7,250
3. Warren Moon ................ 6,823
11. UNITAS ...................... 5,186
Completions Totals
1. Dan Marino .................. 4,967
2. John Elway .................. 4,123
3. Warren Moon .............. 3,988
15. UNITAS .................... 2,830
Yards Totals
1. Dan Marino ................ 61,361
2. John Elway ................ 51,475
3. Warren Moon .............. 49,325
8. UNITAS ....................... 40,239
TD passes Totals
1. Dan Marino ...................... 420
2. Fran Tarkenton ................ 342
3. Brett Favre* ..................... 301
5. UNITAS ............................ 290
* - Active
A streak made to last
Unitas' most enduring record is his 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. No one else has come close. The top five streaks:
Unitas .......................... 1956 - 60 -- 47
Dan Marino .................. 1985 - 87 -- 30
Dave Krieg ................... 1983 - 85 -- 28
Chris Chandler ............. 1997 - 99 -- 27
Peyton Manning ........... 1998 - 99 -- 27
Long-distance calls
Receivers who caught the longest touchdown passes from Unitas:
Receiver ....................... Opponent ..................... Date ................... Yards
John Mackey .............. at Los Angeles ............ Oct. 30 1966 ..............89
Tom Matte ................... vs. Atlanta .................. Sept. 17, 1967 ...........88
John Mackey .............. at Minnesota ................ Sept. 18, 1966 ..........83
Lenny Moore ...............at San Francisco ..........Dec. 8, 1957...............82
Lenny Moore ...............vs. Detroit .....................Dec. 4, 1960 ..............80
Jimmy Orr ....................at Chicago ....................Oct. 21,1962 ..............80
Lenny Moore ...............vs. Minnesota ................Dec. 16,1962 ............80
Favorite Colts connections
Receivers who caught the most touchdown passes from Unitas:
Raymond Berry -- 63
Lenny Moore -- 43
Jimmy Orr -- 41
John Mackey -- 32
Jim Mutscheller -- 31
Hitting 300
Unitas threw for 300 yards in a game 27 times, including the 1958 NFL title game.
Year ...................... 300-yd games
1956 ..................................1
1957 ..................................0
1958 ..................................1
1959 ..................................2
1960 ..................................4
1961 ..................................2
1962 ..................................2
1963 ..................................4
1964 ..................................0
1965 ..................................3
1966 ..................................2
1967 ..................................3
1968 ..................................0
1969 ..................................2
1970 ..................................0
1971 ..................................0
1972 ..................................1
1973 ..................................0
Awards and accolades
* Selected NFL MVP / Player of the Year in 1957, 1959, 1964, 1967
* Named Player of the Decade for the 1960s.
* Named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team.
* Had three seasons passing for 3,000 yards or more.
* Threw TD passes in record 47 consecutive games.
* Led league in touchdown passes four consecutive years (NFL record).
* Led league in passing yardage four times.
* Totaled 17 games with at least four touchdown passes (No. 2 all time behind Dan Marino with 21).
Chronology
May 7, 1933
Born in Pittsburgh.
Spring 1955
Drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers after completing his career at the University of Louisville.
Fall 1955
After being cut by the Steelers, plays with a semipro team in Pittsburgh for $6 a game.
Spring 1956
Signs with the Baltimore Colts for $7,000.
Dec. 28, 1958
Leads the Colts over the New York Giants, 23-17 in overtime, for the NFL championship in what came to be called "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
Dec. 27, 1959
Quarterbacks the Colts to a second straight NFL title game victory over the Giants, 31-16.
Dec. 11, 1960
NFL-record streak of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass ends at Los Angeles.
Sept. 18, 1966
Throws four touchdown passes, giving him 212 for his career, to surpass Y.A. Tittle as the NFL's all-time leader.
Oct. 30, 1966
Throws for 252 yards to pass Tittle (28,339 yards) as the NFL's all-time passing yards leader.
Jan. 17, 1971
Though later injured and replaced by Earl Morrall, throws a 75-yard touchdown pass in the Colts' 16-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V.
Sept. 24, 1972
Throws for 376 yards in a 44-34 Colts loss to the New York Jets, combining with Joe Namath (496 yards) for a record 872 passing yards.
Dec. 3, 1972
In a mop-up role, plays in his final game for the Colts, throwing a 63-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Hinton in a 35-7 win over Buffalo.
Jan. 22, 1973
Sold to the San Diego Chargers.
Sept. 30, 1973
While with the Chargers, becomes the first player to top 40,000 yards passing for his career.
July 25, 1974
Retires from the NFL.
Fall 1974
Joins CBS as a football analyst.
1976
Becomes involved in restaurant, air freight and retail clothing businesses.
May 1977
Joins Colts as consultant.
Oct. 9, 1977
Colts retire No. 19.
July 28, 1979
Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1993
Suffers heart attack and undergoes bypass surgery. Nerve damage from a 1968 injury worsens, causing severe loss of dexterity in right hand.
Sept. 11, 2002
Dies at age 69.