FB: Sonny Jurgensen (only living Duke Pro FB HOFer) announces retirement

[Reilly]

Sonny's announcement: https://www.redskins.com/news/after-...ional-football

Pro FB HOF by school: https://www.profootballhof.com/heroe...game/colleges/

"aura of warmth and intelligence" (what an accolade to attain): https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ignity-connec/

[Indoor66]

I saw him at Duke, in Philly and then in Washington. He was a great QB. Seems he is a better man.

[Reilly]

I saw him at Duke ...

Interested in reading your thoughts/impressions of those mid-1950s Duke games. I guess Jurgensen played varsity in 1954, 1955, and 1956.

[chrishoke]

Growing up in Durham, the Redskins were my team. I was a big fan and Sonny was the man. All their games were carried by the local am radio station 620 am and I loved listening to Sonny and Sam Huff call the games after they retired. Great memories.

[WV_Iron_Duke]

Sonny was so popular in the DC Metro area he was the first analyst for the Bullets games when they first moved from Baltimore.

[53n206]

Sonny was a classmate, though we were not aquatinted, except on the basketball court where he consistently drained long set shots. A wonderful QB. Incredible arm. (Were he to play today!) Major knee injury when he was hit out of bounds in practice. Never quite as good thereafter. Pro career outstanding.

[jv001]

Sonny was a classmate, though we were not aquatinted, except on the basketball court where he consistently drained long set shots. A wonderful QB. Incredible arm. (Were he to play today!) Major knee injury when he was hit out of bounds in practice. Never quite as good thereafter. Pro career outstanding.

Sonny was a very good athlete. Matter of fact he played in the North Carolina East-West game but not the football game. He played in the basketball game. I didn't see Sonny play at Duke but he was my favorite Redskin player. I remember him completing a behind the back pass in one game. The way Sonny became a Redskin is sort of funny. He was traded from the Eagles for Norm Snead who played his college football at Wake Forest. So I guess you could say they kept in the conference with that trade. I have no doubt that the Redskins got the best of it. GoDuke!

[szstark]

Was at a game at RFK when Sonny came down out of the broadcast booth to host the kid’s punt, pass, and kick contest. He didn’t take off his broadcast blazer, he didn’t warm up, he just picked up the ball and threw it 65 yards in the air and hit the tape square in the middle. What an arm.

[jv001]

Was at a game at RFK when Sonny came down out of the broadcast booth to host the kid’s punt, pass, and kick contest. He didn’t take off his broadcast blazer, he didn’t warm up, he just picked up the ball and threw it 65 yards in the air and hit the tape square in the middle. What an arm.

He was THE MAN!!! GoDuke!

[jimsumner]

Jurgensen was a great prep athlete, a nationally-ranked tennis player, an all-state basketball player, a starting catcher. One of the best all-around athletes in NC prep history.

At Duke he was better known as a DB. A combination of injuries and Bill Murray's disinclination to throw the ball left him with very modest passing stats.

Ace Parker was a Murray assistant. Parker knew Jurgensen's worth and had lots of NFL contacts. He made the appropriate phone calls and made sure Jurgensen didn't slip into the cracks.

[53n206]

Jurgensen was a great prep athlete, a nationally-ranked tennis player, an all-state basketball player, a starting catcher. One of the best all-around athletes in NC prep history.

At Duke he was better known as a DB. A combination of injuries and Bill Murray's disinclination to throw the ball left him with very modest passing stats.

Ace Parker was a Murray assistant. Parker knew Jurgensen's worth and had lots of NFL contacts. He made the appropriate phone calls and made sure Jurgensen didn't slip into the cracks.

Ace Parker was also an amazing all-round athlete; major league baseball, pro football (NFL MVP in 1940).Died in Portsmouth, Va at 101. (Well worth a Google.) Anna's pizzas were wonderful. My wife thought they were the best she has ever had, but that was 50 yrs ago.

[budwom]

These days it's not easy to find a place where you order spaghetti and get serenaded by the owner with a guitar.

[sagegrouse]

Ace Parker was also an amazing all-round athlete; major league baseball, pro football (NFL MVP in 1940).Died in Portsmouth, Va at 101. (Well worth a Google.) Anna's pizzas were wonderful. My wife thought they were the best she has ever had, but that was 50 yrs ago.

And golf. I have a friend who pitched for Ace Parker on the college Wrold Series team way back when. He would let the pitchers play golf on the road when they were not scheduled to pitch. He would join them, pick up any old set of clubs and had no trouble shooting 75.

[johnb]

The 3 Duke members of the NFL HOF happened to have all been great multi-sport athletes.

As was pointed out, the prep Jurgenson was a nationally ranked tennis player, an all state bball player, starting catcher, and presumably also played some football. Sonny Parker played MLB, pro football, and Duke basketball.

And in 1939, George McAfee batted .353 for the Duke baseball team, won the Southern Conference sprint championship (100 yard dash, 9.7 seconds), and was a consensus football All American while leading the Blue Devils in rushing, receiving, scoring, kickoff returns, punt returns, interceptions, and punting. He then played on 2 Bears NFL championship teams. Right after his All Pro 2nd season in 1941, McAfee joined the Navy (Ace Parker also served for 2 years during WWII). McAfee returned to the Bears midway through the 1945 season, eventually setting the NFL record for career punt return average (broken in 2007 by Devin Hester).

[wsb3]

Jurgensen was a great prep athlete, a nationally-ranked tennis player, an all-state basketball player, a starting catcher. One of the best all-around athletes in NC prep history.

At Duke he was better known as a DB. A combination of injuries and Bill Murray's disinclination to throw the ball left him with very modest passing stats.

Ace Parker was a Murray assistant. Parker knew Jurgensen's worth and had lots of NFL contacts. He made the appropriate phone calls and made sure Jurgensen didn't slip into the cracks.

I remember Sonny with the Skins..Before my time when he was at Duke. He grew up in my hometown, Wilmington. Pretty remarkable that Sonny & Roman Gabriel both played at New Hanover High School and were starting QB's in the NFL at the same time during a time there were 15 NFL teams. Wilmington was still a small, sleepy undiscovered city back then.

In 1967 the Skins & Rams played to a 28-28 tie. I believe their high school coach flew to L.A. for the game. I was guess that was a perfect outcome for him.

[roge054]

Recall Sonny saying the difference between him and Otto Graham was that Otto liked milk shakes and chocolate bars and he liked Scotch and blondes.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I remember Sonny with the Skins..Before my time when he was at Duke. He grew up in my hometown, Wilmington. Pretty remarkable that Sonny & Roman Gabriel both played at New Hanover High School and were starting QB's in the NFL at the same time during a time there were 15 NFL teams. Wilmington was still a small, sleepy undiscovered city back then.

In 1967 the Skins & Rams played to a 28-28 tie. I believe their high school coach flew to L.A. for the game. I was guess that was a perfect outcome for him.

I've always thought that New Hanover/Wilmington tie was one of the all time amazing trivia type questions in NFL history. Also, great story about the 28-28 tie.

[DevilYouKnow]

My Dad taught Sonny J at Duke.

I asked if he was a good student. My Dad said, "He was a great quarterback."

[Reilly]

... He grew up in my hometown, Wilmington. Pretty remarkable that Sonny & Roman Gabriel both played at New Hanover High School and were starting QB's in the NFL at the same time during a time there were 15 NFL teams. Wilmington was still a small, sleepy undiscovered city back then.

In 1967 the Skins & Rams played to a 28-28 tie. I believe their high school coach flew to L.A. for the game. I was guess that was a perfect outcome for him.

Sonny threw for four TDs, and the Redskins' record after the game stood at 2-2-2: https://www.pro-football-reference.c...6710220ram.htm

[wsb3]

Sonny threw for four TDs, and the Redskins' record after the game stood at 2-2-2: https://www.pro-football-reference.c...6710220ram.htm

Wow.. Very good...