Jurgensen’s family announced his death in a statement issued Friday by the Commanders.
Sonny Jurgensen, the Hall of Fame quarterback whose powerful arm allowed him to set passing records with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, and whose affable personality made him a beloved figure, has died at age 91.
Jurgensen’s family announced his death in a statement issued Friday by the Commanders, reporting that he died of natural causes in Naples, Florida, after a brief stay in hospice care.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our husband, father and grandfather, Sonny Jurgensen,” the family stated. “We are enormously proud of his incredible life and achievements on the field, marked not only by a prodigious arm, but also by a fearless spirit and intellect that earned him a place among the greats in Canton.”
Jurgensen spent most of his 18-year career in Washington, joining the team in 1964 in a surprising quarterback trade that sent Norm Snead to Philadelphia. Jurgensen appeared in four of his five Pro Bowls with Washington, leading the NFL in passing three times, and his 31 passing touchdowns in 1967 remain a franchise single-season record.
In Philadelphia, where he played from 1957 to 1963, Jurgensen was a starter for three seasons, starting in 1961, and led the NFL in passing twice. He set a franchise record with 32 passing touchdowns in 1961, which stood until Carson Wentz surpassed it with 33 in 2017.
Jurgensen was a backup quarterback in 1960 when the Eagles won the NFL title, the team’s last championship before its victory in Super Bowl LII. His 26 interceptions in 1962 remain an Eagles team record.
He ranks among the top 40 in NFL history in passing touchdowns (255) and interceptions (189). He surpassed 3,000 yards in a season five times, including twice with Philadelphia in an era before rule changes modernized NFL offenses, and finished his career with 32,224 passing yards. Jurgensen will always be in the record books for an unmatched 99-yard touchdown pass to Gerry Allen in 1968.
“He lived with deep appreciation for the teammates, colleagues and friends he met throughout his life,” his family said. “Although he has played his last game, his legacy will remain an indelible part of the city he loved and the family he built.”
Jurgensen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, is a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame and the Washington Circle of Fame, and remains the only Washington player to wear jersey No. 9 in a game.
“Few players could match Sonny Jurgensen’s genuine love for the game, which continued long after his playing career,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. “Whether facing off against an opposing lineman as quarterback for the Eagles and Redskins for 18 seasons or later as a beloved broadcaster in Washington for several more decades, Sonny captivated audiences and introduced generations of sports fans. Watching Sonny throw a football was like watching a master craftsman create a work of art.”
Following his playing career, Jurgensen spent 38 years as an analyst on Washington broadcasts before announcing his retirement in August 2018.
“Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the undisputed legends of Washington football,” Commanders managing partner Josh Harris said in a statement. “He was a brilliant leader, a Hall of Fame quarterback and had one of the best arms the game has ever seen. … Our hearts and prayers go out to Sonny’s family, friends and everyone who loved him.”
Jurgensen also had a successful college career at Duke, helping the Blue Devils win ACC titles in 1954 and 1955, playing quarterback and defensive back.
Jurgensen’s four-plus decades in Washington made him a one-name celebrity in the nation’s capital. He was the one and only Sonny, contradictory but loyal, the red-haired American football player with an unathletic physique who maintained a connection with the fans, but who could also light a cigarette and hang out with the team owner.
Known for breaking curfew, Jurgensen was also famous for ignoring coaches and joking about his less than ideal physique. However, he more than made up for it with his accurate passing from the shooting zone, which helped Washington once again become an exciting and competitive team, achieving more wins in his first three seasons than the club had achieved in the previous six.
“All I ask of my blockers is four seconds,” he once said. “I try to stay on my feet and not be forced out of the pocket. I beat people by throwing, not running.”
That’s exactly what he did on Nov. 28, 1965, when he ignored the crowd’s boos and led Washington from 21-0 down to a 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, throwing for 411 yards and three touchdowns. The match was the highlight of manager Bill McPeak’s five losing seasons with the club.
Jurgensen played through numerous injuries and even earned the respect of the notoriously demanding Vince Lombardi, who led Washington to its first winning season in more than a decade in 1969. Lombardi said of Jurgensen, “He’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
But Lombardi died the following year, and Jurgensen never quite gelled with his successor, George Allen, a defensive-minded coach. Washington acquired Billy Kilmer, leading to the great “Sonny vs. Billy” debates that lasted until Jurgensen retired after the 1974 season.
Washingtonians too young to remember Jurgensen as a player came to love him for his insightful commentary as part of the radio commentary trio “Sonny, Sam and Frank.” Jurgensen, Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff and narrator Frank Herzog argued and laughed as they cheered and criticized the team in maroon and gold.
Jurgensen also became something of an unofficial confidant within the organization. He took Gus Frerotte under his wing when the young quarterback was competing with Heath Shuler for the starting job in the mid-1990s. He became a member of Daniel Snyder’s inner circle after Snyder bought the team in 1999, arriving in the owner’s helicopter and getting a special seat on the sideline to watch practices.
Still, Jurgensen didn’t hesitate to question decisions and performance he didn’t like, especially when it came to quarterbacks. He often longed for the days when quarterbacks were allowed to call their own plays. Christian Adolph Jurgensen III was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on August 23, 1934. He was selected by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 1957 draft. He played as a backup to Norm Van Brocklin until 1961, when he became the starting quarterback and threw for 3,723 yards, 32 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, figures that placed him at the top of the league in all these categories.
Three years later, on April 1, 1964, he was transferred to Washington.
“Someone came in and said, ‘You’ve been traded to the Redskins,'” Jurgensen said in a 2007 interview. “I said, ‘No, it’s April Fool’s Day, you’re kidding.’ He said, ‘No, I’m not kidding. I just heard it on the radio.’ I was shocked.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
