All-Time Bears QBs Ranked: McMahon #1, Wade #2

Johnny Lujack

#32 · Chicago Bears
Retired 4 Years In The NFL
🏆 First-team All-Pro (1950)
Johnny's
HAIR
28.2
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Johnny Lujack or the Bears?

Johnny Lujack Legacy

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Johnny Lujack was the war-interrupted wunderkind who stepped into Angelo Bertelli's shoes at Notre Dame in 1943, blanking Army 26-0 as a sophomore before Navy duty hunting U-boats in the English Channel. Back in '46, he quarterbacked two juggernaut Irish squads to national titles, nearly 21-1-1 flawless, with that iconic tackle stonewalling Doc Blanchard in the Army tie at Yankee Stadium—pure gridiron poetry. Heisman king in '47, four-sport phenom, then Bears star who slung six TDs in a game and ran wild like no QB before. A T-formation trailblazer whose timing made legends. Lujack passed in 2023 at 98, forever etched in Fighting Irish lore.[102 words]
Johnny Lujack passed away on July 25, 2023 at the age of 98.

Johnny Lujack Rating Breakdown

Season
Great
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Subpar
Overall
Delulu
4 years with the Bears

Johnny Lujack Career Stats via Wikipedia

6,295 Pass Yards
21 Touchdowns
54 INTs
50.0% Comp %
28.2 HAIR

Johnny Lujack Career Timeline

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1951 1

Retired from NFL

Lujack retired at age 26 after four seasons with the Bears (1946-1950, playing only 3 games in 1950), having completed 52.9% of passes for 6,716 yards, 51 TDs, and career-high 468 rushing yards.

1950 1

First-Team All-Pro

Earned First-Team All-Pro recognition for the second consecutive year, passing for 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns despite team struggles.

1949 1

NFL MVP and All-Pro

Named NFL MVP and First-Team All-Pro after passing for 2,440 yards and 23 touchdowns, leading the Bears to an 8-4 record.

1947 2

NFL Championship Appearance

Played in the 1947 NFL Championship Game for the Bears, losing 28-24 to the Philadelphia Eagles at Comiskey Park.

NFL Rookie of the Year

Lujack earned NFL Rookie of the Year honors after leading the Bears to the NFL Western Division title and throwing for 968 yards with 6 touchdowns in 11 games.

1946 1

Drafted by Chicago Bears

Johnny Lujack was selected 11th overall in the first round of the 1946 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

4 years in the NFL

Frequently Asked Questions About Johnny Lujack

How does Caleb Williams compare to Johnny Lujack?

Caleb Williams, the Bears' shiny new starter, has Johnny Lujack's college pedigree to chase—both Heisman winners who lit up Notre Dame with national titles and T-formation magic. But Lujack's pro peak, like that wild 468-yard, six-TD explosion against the Cardinals in '49, sets a bar Williams hasn't touched yet; Caleb's got modern protection to build on that Irish legacy without the era's bruises.

Is Johnny Lujack in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Johnny Lujack never made it to Canton, despite a Heisman, All-Pro nods, and owning the '49 passing crown with 2,658 yards and 23 TDs for the Bears. His 6,295 career yards and dual-threat flair—11 rushing scores in '50—shine in college halls, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame overlooked this gritty Notre Dame gunslinger who backed up Sid Luckman before owning Soldier Field.

How would Johnny Lujack perform in today's NFL?

Lujack's single-wing legs and arm would feast in today's pass-happy NFL—imagine his 11 QB rushing TDs from 1950 or that 468-yard bombathon thriving with no-contact rules and five-wide sets. The old leather helmets hid his toughness; he'd scramble like a proto-Lamar Jackson, but interceptions (54 to 41 TDs) might get exposed by zone coverages before he adapted like the all-around Irish wizard he was.

How does Johnny Lujack compare to Jim McMahon?

Johnny Lujack's 28.18 passer rating pales next to Jim McMahon's 45.04, but both were scrappy Bears gunslingers who led scoring charges—Lujack with 109 points in '50 via TDs, kicks, and field goals. McMahon had '85 Super Bowl fireworks; Lujack owned '49 with league-leading 23 passing scores. Different eras, same Soldier Field moxie—Lujack the Heisman rookie, Mac the punk-rock rebel.