Sonny Jurgensen, the Hall of Fame quarterback whose strong arm, keen wit and affable personality made him one of the most beloved figures in Washington football history, has died, his family announced Friday. He was 91.
The Washington Commanders shared a statement from Jurgensen's family on social media confirming his 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," the family said.
The family called him the "steady, humorous, and deeply loving heart of our family."
"While he has taken his final snap, his legacy will remain an indelible part of the city he loved and the family he built," the family said.
Jurgensen arrived in Washington in 1964 in a surprise quarterback swap that sent Norm Snead to the Philadelphia Eagles. Over the next 11 seasons, Jurgensen rewrote the team's record books.
He topped 3,000 yards in a season five times, including twice with Philadelphia, in an era before rules changes opened up NFL offenses. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and remains the only Washington player to wear the No. 9 jersey in a game.
"Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football," said controlling owner Josh Harris, who grew up a fan. "For me, Sonny was the embodiment of what it means to don the burgundy and gold: tough, smart and endlessly devoted to this franchise and its fans."
Jurgensen's four-plus decades of association with the franchise in Washington as a quarterback and then as a broadcaster made him a one-name celebrity in the nation's capital. He was the one and only Sonny, contrary but loyal: the everyman red-headed football player with the out-of-shape belly who kept a connection with fans but could also pull out a cigar and hobnob with the team owner.
