Johnny Unitas "the Golden Arm"
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| Johnny Unitas |
Quick facts
- John Constantine "Johnny" Unitas was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts.
- He was the National Football League's most valuable player in 1959, 1964 and 1967.
- Unitas was born to Lithuanian immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1933, and grew up in the Brookline neighborhood.
- Johnny Unitas was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
- Johnny Unitas held the record for most Pro Bowl appearances (10) by a quarterback until Brett Favre broke his record in 2009.
- His unusual surname was a result of a phonetic transliteration of a common Lithuanian last name Jonaitis.
- Since 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has been awarded to the top senior quarterback of the current year in college football. The award is presented annually in Louisville.
- Unitas was nicknamed "the Golden Arm" and often called "Johnny U".
- Johnny Unitas Tower, a dormitory at the University of Louisville, is named for Johnny Unitas.
- In 1999, ESPN's Sportscentury: 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century ranked Unitas #32.
- In 2004, The Sporting News ranked Johnny Unitas No. 1 among the NFL's 50 Greatest Quarterbacks, with Joe Montana No. 2.
- Johnny guest-starred as himself in The Simpsons episode "Homie the Clown" (first aired February 12, 1995). In the episode "Mother Simpson" (first aired November 19, 1995), Grandpa Simpson also refers to Unitas having a "haircut you could set your watch to."
- Johnny Unitas set the record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47 games. This remains unsurpassed as of 2010.
- In 1999, Johnny Unitas was an extra in Runaway Bride. He can be seen about 25 minutes into the movie sitting on the bench outside the bakery.
