I was a Raiders fan as a kid and remember those games in 1970 where he had all the right moves at age 43. Didn't retire until he was almost 49 and had played 26 years of professional football.
George Blanda, the seemingly ageless Hall of Fame quarterback and kicker whose 26-year career was best remembered for a remarkable run of late-game theatrics with the Oakland Raiders, has died. He was 83.
The Raiders confirmed the death Monday and issued a statement saying ''we are deeply saddened by the passing of the great George Blanda. George was a brave Raider and a close personal friend of Raiders owner Al Davis.''
Blanda retired a month shy of his 49th birthday before the 1976 season, playing longer than anyone else in pro football history. He spent 10 seasons with the Chicago Bears, part of one with the Baltimore Colts, seven with the Houston Oilers and his final nine with the Raiders.
He scored 2,002 points in his career, a pro football record at the time of his retirement, kicking 335 field goals and 943 extra points, running for nine touchdowns and throwing for 236 more.
But it was a five-game stretch for Oakland in 1970 that is the lasting imprint from his career. As a 43-year-old, Blanda led the Raiders to four wins and one tie with late touchdown passes or field goals.
Joe Shlabotnik wrote:I was a Raiders fan as a kid and remember those games in 1970 where he had all the right moves at age 43. Didn't retire until he was almost 49 and had played 26 years of professional football.
I remember as a little kid putting on my Miami Dolphin approved for competitive play helmet and watching the Raiders snap my Dolphins losing streak in 1973 as Blanda accounted for all of the Oakland scoring. I hated that old man that day. I thought he was ancient then, but he played a few more years.
