{"id":32307,"date":"2026-02-07T11:43:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T16:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yurasko.net\/wfy\/?p=32307"},"modified":"2026-02-07T11:43:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T16:43:14","slug":"r-i-p-sonny-jurgensen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yurasko.net\/wfy\/2026\/02\/r-i-p-sonny-jurgensen\/","title":{"rendered":"R.I.P. Sonny Jurgensen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The legendary Sonny Jurgensen<\/strong> died this week at age 911<\/a><\/sup>. A hall of famer, he joined the proto-Commanders<\/em> in 1964 and remained a part of the franchise and region for half a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jurgensen was an elite passer whose talent transcended the mediocrity of the team.2<\/a><\/sup>3<\/a><\/sup> Late in his career, the team’s fortunes changed with one season of Vince Lombardi coaching followed by George Allen<\/strong> a few years later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injuries kept Jurgenson out of the playoffs and notably Super Bowl VII. Allen may have preferred Billy Kilmer<\/strong> anyway, because Allen played not to lose. Jurgensen and wide receiver and Charley Taylor<\/strong> were Hall of Famers, plus Jerry Smith4<\/a><\/sup>., who should have been in the hall, but had his production depressed by Allen’s conservative approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen was a defensive-minded coach; what he mostly wanted out of a quarterback was that he not turn the ball over. Kilmer didn\u2019t throw many interceptions. \u201cHe just took a liking to the way I played,\u201d Kilmer recalls.
Jurgensen broke his shoulder in an exhibition game, and with Kilmer at the helm, the Redskins won their first five games and beat Dallas at Dallas. A quarterback controversy was on.
Under Kilmer the team made the playoffs for the first time in the 26 years since 1945. Throughout the 1970s the Sonny-Billy rivalry was the city\u2019s most interesting topic of conversation. Bumper stickers divided the Billy people from the Sonny people. Billy and Sonny also rivaled each other in the late-night-fun department…

…Despite the Sonny-versus-Billy controversy, Jur\u00adgensen was helpful to his rival, a trait that Beban says Sonny showed all potential usurpers. If there was one thing Sonny was not, it was insecure…

…in 1974 the team had its third good season in a row. The Billy-Sonny act worked. Neither man had ever played on a championship team before. \u201cWe knew it was a good thing,\u201d says Kilmer. \u201cAnd it didn\u2019t hurt that we hung out in the same saloons.5<\/a><\/sup>\u201d

…Theismann arrived during a preseason players\u2019 strike, started the team\u2019s first exhibition game in Houston, and played pretty well. Asked after the game how things would be when Sonny and Billy returned, Theismann replied that there still would be room for them on the bench.
After reading Theismann\u2019s quote in the paper, Kilmer called Jurgensen. \u201cSonny said not to worry,\u201d Kilmer recalls. \u201c \u2018We\u2019ll have him catching punts by the end of the year.\u2019 \u201d
Sonny was prophetic, Kilmer says. \u201cTheis\u00admann ended up that year doing exactly that\u2014returning punts.\u201d<\/p>Sonny, Billy & the Boys: Greatest Redskins Quarterbacks<\/a> – Washingtonian, 2006<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The two rivals were lifelong friends – Redskins Greats Billy Kilmer And Sonny Jurgensen Attend Nationals Game<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Allen is the most overrated coach in NFL history.6<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, in 1974, at age 40, Jurgensen won the passing title and made his only playoff appearance.7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, his number 9 was retired. It had not been issued since he played. He is still the only Washington quarterback to pass for over 30 touchdowns in a season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRO FOOTBALL REFERENCE: Sonny Jurgensen<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broadcaster<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the on-field exploits of Jurgenson were legendary, I knew of him for his years of broadcasting.8<\/a><\/sup> Starting in 1981 ,Sonny, Sam (Huff) and Frank (Herzog)9<\/a><\/sup> were radio broadcasters for over 20 years and 4 Super Bowls. Watching the games with the sound down and the radio turned up was common in greater Washington.10<\/a><\/sup> These unrepentant homers were the historical soundtrack of the greatest era of Redskins11<\/a><\/sup> football. NFL Films inclusion of the Super Bowl broradcasts spread their folklore across the football world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The were fun, even if it were not a fan of the Skins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jurgenson also appeared on local television, notably as the second sports anchor behind Glenn Brenner on Channel 9. George Michael on Channel 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Videos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several videos celebrating the life of Jurgensen from the team, Hall of Fame and outlets he worked for, people he worked with12<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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