All-Time Jets QBs Ranked: Namath #1, Pennington #2

Butch Songin

#33 · New York Jets
Retired 1 Year In The NFL
🏆 1949 Scanlan Award
Butch's
HAIR
7.7
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Butch Songin or the Jets?

Butch Songin Legacy

HEYTC AI
Butch Songin was the lanky Boston kid—6'2", 190 pounds—who chased gridiron glory from Walpole High to Boston College, then bounced across leagues like a true football nomad, from Erie's sandlots to Hamilton's Grey Cup triumph in '53. What made him special? That gunslinger's arm in the AFL's wild dawn, slinging it for the inaugural Boston Patriots and New York Titans, embodying the scrappy startup era before the big boys took over. No polish, just pure Northeast grit, scripting underdog tales in Patriots' lore. He passed in 1976 at 52, leaving a legacy of leather-helmet hustle.
Butch Songin passed away on May 26, 1976 at the age of 52.

Butch Songin Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Non-Factor
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
1 year with the Jets

Butch Songin Career Stats via Wikipedia

4,347 Pass Yards
38 Touchdowns
31 INTs
0.0% Comp %
7.7 HAIR
8-11 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About Butch Songin

How does Brady Cook compare to Butch Songin?

Brady Cook's got big shoes to fill if he's eyeing Butch Songin's Jets legacy—Songin slung 442 yards with a 36.4 rating in seven games for the Titans in '62, part of his 4,347 AFL yards and 38 TDs overall. Cook's early flashes are promising, but Songin's grit in those leather-helmet brawls set a bar that screams old-school toughness, not fantasy stats.

Is Butch Songin in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Butch Songin never made it to Canton—no bust waiting for the Hall of Fame polish. The guy's AFL run with the Pats and Titans (4,347 yards, 38 TDs) was solid blue-collar work, but not the immortal stuff that cracks the Pro Football Hall. Think reliable starter, not legend on a pedestal.

How would Butch Songin perform in today's NFL?

Songin would carve out a backup gig in today's pass-happy NFL, where his 47% completion and 6.3 yards per throw get a boost from no-touchdown protections and quick releases. Those 38 TDs in three AFL seasons show arm talent, but his pick-heavy style (31 INTs with Jets/Titans) might get him benched behind a mobile wizard like Mahomes 2.0.

How does Butch Songin compare to Joe Namath?

Songin's Jets stint posted a measly 7.68 rating on 42-of-90 passing, while Namath's Broadway Joe flair exploded at 40.81 over his Jets prime—night and day for franchise QBs. Butch was the tough-nosed setup guy; Joe the Super Bowl swagger king who guaranteed glory. Both Jets icons, but Namath's the fireworks, Songin's the fuse.