Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Shipley
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Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by Shipley »

On Sunday 9/12, the Chargers travel east to open the 2021 season against the Washington Football Team. The last time that happened was in 1973, when a washed up Johnny Unitas made his debut as a Charger at on opening day RFK Stadium, and it looked strange to everyone seeing him in a different uniform. The team then known as the Redskins clobbered the Chargers 38-0, and Unitas took a beating all day. He only ended up playing five games for the Chargers, and announced his retirement after the season. Coincidentally, the same thing was happening that fall with Willie Mays, who was playing in the World Series with the Mets in his final season, and was also a shadow of his former self. Interested in observations about this from the rest of the group.
RichardBak
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by RichardBak »

Oh man, seeing Johnny U in a Chargers uniform---as a lifelong Colts fan growing up in Detroit, and Unitas my hero, it just about killed me. (Still got my circa 1970 Colts pennant hanging in my basement.) I was in the Marines in '73, and me and a buddy---also from Detroit---went to San Diego from Camp Pendleton to watch the Chargers play a preseason game vs a team that I can't remember. (Might have been Phila.) Without getting into all the details, it was a huge hassle getting to the stadium, but we figured it was all worth it because both of us would be seeing Unitas for the first (and probably last) time in person. And of course, Unitas didn't suit up that night. He was scratched for some reason and the immortal Wayne Clark and some rookie named Dan Fouts played instead. I think we left in the 3rd quarter, pretty dejected.

We watched that ass-whipping Washington gave SD on TV in the squad bay. It was embarrassing---my hero had no mobility, no zip in his 40-year-old arm, and he was just absolutely half-beaten to death by the Skins that day in front of a national TV audience. I never felt so bad for somebody in my life.

Curiously, Unitas died of a heart attack on Sept. 11, 2002---the first anniversary of 9/11.
Brian wolf
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by Brian wolf »

Unitas was sad in SD but a rookie QB benefitted and took his tutoring and approach to forge his own HOF career.
lastcat3
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by lastcat3 »

RichardBak wrote:Oh man, seeing Johnny U in a Chargers uniform---as a lifelong Colts fan growing up in Detroit, and Unitas my hero, it just about killed me. (Still got my circa 1970 Colts pennant hanging in my basement.) I was in the Marines in '73, and me and a buddy---also from Detroit---went to San Diego from Camp Pendleton to watch the Chargers play a preseason game vs a team that I can't remember. (Might have been Phila.) Without getting into all the details, it was a huge hassle getting to the stadium, but we figured it was all worth it because both of us would be seeing Unitas for the first (and probably last) time in person. And of course, Unitas didn't suit up that night. He was scratched for some reason and the immortal Wayne Clark and some rookie named Dan Fouts played instead. I think we left in the 3rd quarter, pretty dejected.

We watched that ass-whipping Washington gave SD on TV in the squad bay. It was embarrassing---my hero had no mobility, no zip in his 40-year-old arm, and he was just absolutely half-beaten to death by the Skins that day in front of a national TV audience. I never felt so bad for somebody in my life.

Curiously, Unitas died of a heart attack on Sept. 11, 2002---the first anniversary of 9/11.
I have respect for the players that are able to just call it a day and move on with their lives before their body flat out tells them they can't do it anymore. Probably a lot of Unitas's later life physical problems could have been alleviated (or at least wouldn't have been as nearly as severe) if he had decided to retire a few years earlier. I also suspect in those days the only reason teams chose to trade for players (and start them) that clearly didn't have it anymore was to help attendance (and probably get a game or two on tv that wouldn't have been otherwise.
Jay Z
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by Jay Z »

Shipley wrote:On Sunday 9/12, the Chargers travel east to open the 2021 season against the Washington Football Team. The last time that happened was in 1973, when a washed up Johnny Unitas made his debut as a Charger at on opening day RFK Stadium, and it looked strange to everyone seeing him in a different uniform. The team then known as the Redskins clobbered the Chargers 38-0, and Unitas took a beating all day. He only ended up playing five games for the Chargers, and announced his retirement after the season. Coincidentally, the same thing was happening that fall with Willie Mays, who was playing in the World Series with the Mets in his final season, and was also a shadow of his former self. Interested in observations about this from the rest of the group.
Unitas actually didn't announce his retirement until July 23, 1974. So he was still on the Chargers roster until then. I don't know if he actually reported to camp at all, since there was a strike at the time he retired.

Perhaps because of that, Unitas is featured in the 1974 Topps football set, whereas John Brodie, who retired after the 1973 season, is not. Dan Fouts, the regular Chargers QB for most of the season, does not have a card in that set.

Unitas wasn't even active for five of the last six games of the 1973 Chargers season, as the Chargers used Wayne Clark as Fouts' backup.
RichardBak
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by RichardBak »

Jay Z wrote:
Shipley wrote:On Sunday 9/12, the Chargers travel east to open the 2021 season against the Washington Football Team. The last time that happened was in 1973, when a washed up Johnny Unitas made his debut as a Charger at on opening day RFK Stadium, and it looked strange to everyone seeing him in a different uniform. The team then known as the Redskins clobbered the Chargers 38-0, and Unitas took a beating all day. He only ended up playing five games for the Chargers, and announced his retirement after the season. Coincidentally, the same thing was happening that fall with Willie Mays, who was playing in the World Series with the Mets in his final season, and was also a shadow of his former self. Interested in observations about this from the rest of the group.
Unitas actually didn't announce his retirement until July 23, 1974. So he was still on the Chargers roster until then. I don't know if he actually reported to camp at all, since there was a strike at the time he retired.

Perhaps because of that, Unitas is featured in the 1974 Topps football set, whereas John Brodie, who retired after the 1973 season, is not. Dan Fouts, the regular Chargers QB for most of the season, does not have a card in that set.

Unitas wasn't even active for five of the last six games of the 1973 Chargers season, as the Chargers used Wayne Clark as Fouts' backup.

My favorite Johnny U card. That stunned expression and flattened noggin---did someone just drop an anvil on his head? Was he on bath salts?
1960-Topps-1-Johnny-Unitas-football-card.jpg
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RRMarshall
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by RRMarshall »

It is interesting that after the 38-0 debacle in Washington Unitas turned in a good game against a good but young Bills team
the following week in San Diego, completing 10 of 18 for 175 yards and 2 TDs. Then came a mediocre game against the Bengals
and a disaster in Pittsburgh. He faced three playoff teams and one team that would go on to a 9-5 record (would have been
a Wildcard team if the 2 wildcard system had been if effect back then). He also got the hell beaten out of him and I wonder
if the schedule had been a little softer at the start of the season he may have looked a little better and lasted awhile longer.
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GameBeforeTheMoney
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

That was also Ken Houston's first game for Washington after George Allen traded five players for him. Houston had two interceptions that day.

Ken made perhaps the most famous play of his career a few weeks later against Dallas, stopping Walt Garrison near the goal line on Monday Night Football.

Here's the box score for the 1973 San Diego at Washington game, in case anyone's interested:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 160was.htm
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

One other note about this. Carroll Rosenbloom had just swapped teams with Jim Irsay and Unitas apparently wanted to "sever all ties with the Colts." Despite that, Unitas is quoted as saying, “It doesn't mean I'm going. For one thing. I don't know if it's legal. I'll just have to sit down and look at things and then talk with the San Diego people.” According to the article below, a personal services contract Unitas had with Baltimore might have been at stake. (sorry, the archive might be behind a paywall for some of you, although I think you get a few free articles per month).

Also interesting to note is that John Hadl had requested a trade from San Diego.

https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/23/arch ... as-is.html
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sheajets
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Re: Unitas Debuts as a Charger

Post by sheajets »

RichardBak wrote:
Jay Z wrote:
Shipley wrote:On Sunday 9/12, the Chargers travel east to open the 2021 season against the Washington Football Team. The last time that happened was in 1973, when a washed up Johnny Unitas made his debut as a Charger at on opening day RFK Stadium, and it looked strange to everyone seeing him in a different uniform. The team then known as the Redskins clobbered the Chargers 38-0, and Unitas took a beating all day. He only ended up playing five games for the Chargers, and announced his retirement after the season. Coincidentally, the same thing was happening that fall with Willie Mays, who was playing in the World Series with the Mets in his final season, and was also a shadow of his former self. Interested in observations about this from the rest of the group.
Unitas actually didn't announce his retirement until July 23, 1974. So he was still on the Chargers roster until then. I don't know if he actually reported to camp at all, since there was a strike at the time he retired.

Perhaps because of that, Unitas is featured in the 1974 Topps football set, whereas John Brodie, who retired after the 1973 season, is not. Dan Fouts, the regular Chargers QB for most of the season, does not have a card in that set.

Unitas wasn't even active for five of the last six games of the 1973 Chargers season, as the Chargers used Wayne Clark as Fouts' backup.

My favorite Johnny U card. That stunned expression and flattened noggin---did someone just drop an anvil on his head? Was he on bath salts?
1960-Topps-1-Johnny-Unitas-football-card.jpg
Image
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