It was in the nation’s capital that Jurgensen would cement himself as the foremost pocket passer of his time. The QB compiled 19,693 passing yards, 160 TDs and 100 interceptions during a seven-year stretch as the club’s unquestioned starter.
His record 3,747 passing yards in 1967, which he coupled with a league-leading 31 TD passes, stood until Dan Fouts eclipsed it with the NFL’s first 4,000-yard passing season in 1979 (Joe Namath had the first 4,000-yard season in the more pass-happy American Football League during the ’60s).
In the 10 years following Jurgensen’s record-setting feat, the NFL witnessed a 3,000-yard passer only six other times — one of those being Jurgensen accomplishing the mark again.
Jurgensen’s only winning season as Washington’s starter came in 1969 with Vince Lombardi, the QB’s third head coach in six years. Following Lombardi’s death from cancer in September 1970, Jurgensen spent one more year as the team’s signal-caller, under interim head coach Bill Austin.
Jurgensen’s fifth and final head coach in D.C., George Allen, installed Billy Kilmer as the team’s new QB in 1971 to usher in a conservative, run-first offense.
Jurgensen stayed on for four more years, backing up Kilmer as the team’s fortunes finally turned around to the tune of 40 wins and four consecutive playoff trips. The final snaps of Jurgensen’s career came in relief of Kilmer during a Divisional Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was 40 years old, and it was the only postseason action of his storied NFL journey.
Jurgensen retired with 32,224 passing yards, 255 touchdowns and 189 interceptions. He remains Washington’s single-season record holder for passing TDs even today, and his career high of 32 in 1961 still ranks second on the list in Philadelphia.
Although he never attained the individual accolades and championship pedigree of his All-Decade Team counterparts, Starr and Unitas, those who saw him play recognized his brilliance.
During his one-year opportunity to work with Jurgensen, the legendary coach Lombardi put it simply: “He may be the best the league has ever seen. He is the best I have seen.”
