Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville (1951-54), passing for 3,007 yards and 27 touchdowns. Unitas, who wore No. 19 as a professional, had his No. 16 collegiate uniform retired at Louisville, the only number retired by the Cardinals. Known as "The Golden Arm", Unitas had anything but a golden introduction to the NFL. A late round draft pick of the Pittsburg Steelers, he was cut in his rookie year. He signed with the Baltimore Colts a year later and began to change the future of pro football.

First drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955, but never played in a Steelers regular season game before being released by the Steelers. Unitas was picked up as a free agent by Baltimore before the 1956 NFL regular season, and played quarterback for the National Football League's Baltimore Colts (1956-1972) and then one season for the San Diego Chargers (1973).

Unitas quarterbacked the Colts in the NFL title in 1958, beating the New York Giants in the league's first overtime championship, known forever more as the greatest game ever played. Unitas' legend grew through the 60s and 70s. His record for throwing a touchdown in 47 consecutive games continues to stand. He became the first NFL quarterback to pass for more than 40,000 yards.

Voted the separate awards of Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the National Football League for 1959, 1964, and 1967 (six separate awards), all while playing for the Baltimore Colts.

Founded a suburban Baltimore, Maryland restaurant with a partner in 1968, during his Baltimore Colts heyday, named after Unitas, the restaurant was named 'Johnny Unitas's Golden Arm.' The restaurant stayed open long after his football career ended, and still attracted football fans both before and after games, and often hosted players after games too. In later years, one of the owners decided to replace the Men's room door plaque with a plaque which instead read "The Bob Irsay Room," which was a joke about Baltimore Colt's owner Irsay moving the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA after the 1983 NFL season. The restaurant closed in 1994.

In January 1971, Unitas won his last championship, leading the Colts against the Cowboys in Super Bowl V. The persona of "Johnny U" exceeds even his numbers. His bow-legged gait and crew cut became his trademarks. His flair for leading the Colts to come from behind wins became his signature.

Unitas' last game with the Baltimore Colts was in 1972, wherein he threw his final touchdown pass as a Baltimore Colt, and then was replaced, in that same game, by new Colts starting quarterback, Marty Domres, who the Colts replaced with a player they picked up by trade from the NFL's San Diego Chargers. In an unrelated trade, Unitas was later traded to the same San Diego Chargers after the end of the 1972 season, and he played his final NFL season with the Chargers in 1973, before retiring during the off-season between 1973 and 1974, and returned to his adopted home of Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. In Baltimore, Unitas will be remembered as much for his personal touch as for his professional greatness. Ever willing to stop for an autograph or to give of his time, Unitas helped christen Towson University's new stadium last week - with a pass. No one could have known that would have been the last pass from his golden arm. Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said, "This is a particularly painful day for Baltimore, because Johnny Unitas was Baltimore -- guts and grit.

Requested that his name be deleted from the Colts' record books when the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984.

Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning had four pairs of high-top black shoes made, which he planned to wear in the Colts 15 September 2002 game as a tribute to Unitas. But the NFL threatened to slap Manning with a $25,000 fine if he wore the shoes. Further, it declared that only the Baltimore Ravens would have the sole right to honor Unitas with a patch or armband on their uniforms that Sunday.

" He played in 10 Pro Bowls, was named MVP three times, and was named the NFL's all-time greatest quarterback at the league's 50th anniversary.

Held the all time NFL record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass with 47. Until Drew Brees broke it on October 7,2012.

Inducted into the Lithuanian American Hall of Fame in 2013.