Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, who spent his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins, has died, his family said Friday.
Jurgensen died Friday morning in Naples, Fla., after a stay in hospice. He was 91. His family did not provide a cause of death.
“We are enormously proud of his amazing life and accomplishments on the field, marked not only by a golden arm, but also a fearless spirit and intellect that earned him a place among the legends in Canton,” Jurgensen’s family said in a statement issued through the Washington Commanders.
“But to those of us who knew him beyond the stadium lights, he was the steady, humorous, and deeply loving heart of our family.”
Jurgensen, known as one of the best pure passers in football history, entered the league as a fourth-round pick by the Eagles in the 1957 NFL Draft. The former Duke star went on to earn five Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods. He also was a member of the Eagles team that beat Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship.
Jurgensen led the league in passing yards five times, including a then-record 3,723 yards in 1961, his first season as a starter. He led the league in passing scores twice, including in that same 1961 season, when he tied Johnny Unitas’ then record of 32.
The Eagles traded the quarterback to the Redskins in 1967. Jurgensen went on to beat his own passing yardage record with 3,747 in 1967 for the Redskins.
“Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football,” the Commanders said in a statement. “He was a giant of the game, and a beloved part of our team’s identity.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Sonny’s family, friends and everyone who loved him.”
Jurgensen totaled 32,224 passing yards, 255 touchdowns and 189 interceptions over 18 seasons. He spent decades with Washington’s radio broadcast team after his retirement. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
His No. 9 was retired by the Commanders in 2022. He ranks second in franchise history in passing yards and touchdowns. He was inducted into the Eagles’ first Hall of Fame class in 1987.
Jurgensen is survived by his wife, Margo Hurt, four sons, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
“Few players could rival Sonny Jurgensen’s genuine love of the game that continued long after his playing days,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said. “Whether he was standing tall in the face of an opposing lineman as a 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 fans to the sport.
“Watching Sonny throw a football was like watching a master craftsman create a work of art.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame will fly their flag at half-staff in honor of Jurgensen.
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