Y. A. Tittle
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| Y. A. Tittle | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 24, 1926 (age 80) |
| Place of birth |  Marshall, Texas |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | LSU |
| Career Highlights | |
| Pro Bowls | 6 |
| Awards | 1963 AP NFL MVP, 1962 UPI NFL MVP, 1957 UPI NFL MVP |
| Retired #s | New York Giants #14 |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1948-1950 1951-1960 1961-1964 |
Baltimore Colts San Francisco 49ers New York Giants |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1971 | |
Yelberton Abraham Tittle (born October 24, 1926, in Marshall, Texas), better known as Y. A. Tittle, is a former American football quarterback who played for the Baltimore Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, inducted in 1971.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Tittle began his career with the Baltimore Colts of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1948, who eventually joined the NFL in 1950. The Colts became defunct after that season, and Tittle joined the San Francisco 49ers. He played there for ten seasons, through 1960, often struggling for playing time. In 1951 and 1952, Frankie Albert also played quarterback extensively, and then from 1957 through 1960, John Brodie took time on the field away from Tittle.
Tittle was traded after the 1960 season, when the 49ers decided that Brodie was their quarterback of the future. He joined the New York Giants, where he would have some of his best seasons. In 1963, his second-to-last year, Tittle set what was then an NFL record by throwing 36 touchdown passes. After a poor 1964 season, however, Tittle retired.
In a career lasting 17 years, Tittle passed for 33,070 yards, and 242 touchdowns, and twice received the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. In 1971, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of pro football's greatest quarterbacks never to win the NFL Championship, Tittle did throw seven touchdown passes in the October 28,1962, game against the Washington Redskins that the Giants won 49-34.
[edit] Legacy
For his career, Tittle had impressive numbers. He threw for 28,339 yards and 212 touchdowns, while also rushing for 999 yards and 33 touchdowns, not including his totals in the AAFC.
The only thing missing from Tittle's impressive resumé was an NFL championship. The Giants lost the title game every year from 1961 to 1963. The 1963 game was especially disappointing, as Tittle hurt his leg and struggled all game as the Giants lost to the Chicago Bears 14-10.
The following year, Tittle's final season, the Giants were nowhere close to contention, falling to a 2-10-2 record. Tittle's performance fell from 36 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 1963 to 10 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in 1964. He retired after the season.
[edit] Distinction
Y.A. Tittle was the first and one of only seven quarterbacks in NFL history to have achieved consecutive 30-touchdown passing seasons. The others are Steve Bartkowski, Brett Favre, Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, Jeff Garcia and Peyton Manning. Tittle's 36 touchdown passes in the 1963 season would remain an NFL record untill Marino threw 48 touchdown passes in 1984.
In his most prolific college season with LSU, Tittle passed for 780 yards, impressive for the time, leading the Fighting Tigers to a 9-1 record and a #8 ranking in the final AP poll. LSU then tied Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl.
[edit] Career Stats
[edit] NFL Regular season
- 3,817 passes attempted
- 2,118 passes completed
- 28,339 passing yards
- 212 passing touchdowns
- 221 passes intercepted
- 73.6 quarterback rating
[edit] AFCC Regular season
- 578 passes attempted
- 309 passes completed
- 4,731 passing yards
- 30 passing touchdowns
- 27 passes intercepted
- 78.6 quarterback rating
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Jim Taylor |
NFL Most Valuable Player 1963 season |
Succeeded by Johnny Unitas |
| Preceded by Frankie Albert |
San Francisco 49ers Starting Quarterbacks 1953-1960 |
Succeeded by John Brodie |
| Preceded by Charlie Conerly |
New York Giants Starting Quarterbacks 1961-1963 |
Succeeded by Gary Wood |
Categories: 1926 births | American football quarterbacks | AP NFL MVP Award winners | Baltimore Colts (1940s) players | Living people | LSU Tigers football players | New York Giants players | People from Baton Rouge | People from Marshall, Texas | Pro Football Hall of Fame | San Francisco 49ers players | LSU Hall of Fame members
