Sonny Jurgensen

#9 · Washington Commanders

Retired 29 Years In The NFL

🏆 NFL champion (1960)

Sonny's

HAIR

19.0

HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Sonny Jurgensen or the Commanders?

Sonny Jurgensen Legacy

HEYTC AI

Sonny Jurgensen, the gunslinging southerner from Duke's Orange Bowl glory days, was the NFL's purest passer in an era when quarterbacks played hurt and threw like hell. Nicknamed for his boyish charm, he backed up Norm Van Brocklin to a 1960 title in Philly, then unleashed record-shattering yards and TDs that redefined the position—Vince Lombardi called him the best ever. Traded to Washington, he lit up D.C. for over a decade, his rocket arm and pocket poise turning the Redskins into contenders even at 40. A 1960s All-Decade icon and Hall of Famer, Sonny's legacy is pure artistry under fire.

Sonny Jurgensen Rating Breakdown

Season

Average

Fantasy

Good

Playoffs

Non-Factor

Overall

NPC

11 years with the Commanders

Sonny Jurgensen Career Stats via Wikipedia

32,224 Pass Yards

255 Touchdowns

189 INTs

57.1% Comp %

19.0 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Sonny Jurgensen

How does Jayden Daniels compare to Sonny Jurgensen?

Jayden Daniels, the Commanders' rocket-armed rookie starter, has the legs and deep ball to evoke Sonny Jurgensen's gunslinger vibe, but Sonny's the gold standard—32,224 yards, 255 TDs, three passing titles in a run-first era. Daniels might chase those shadows if he stays healthy, yet Sonny turned DC into Pass City after that '64 Eagles trade, dropping five TDs on Philly in debut. Legacy like that? Untouchable.

Is Sonny Jurgensen in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Sonny Jurgensen ain't in Canton—wait, scratch that, he is, class of '83, the pure passer who lit up grids with 32,224 yards and 255 TDs. Five Pro Bowls, Lombardi's favorite gunslinger. Some spots glitch on it, but the Hall's got his bust right there with the immortals. What a snub woulda been otherwise.

What is Sonny Jurgensen doing now in 2026?

By 2026, Sonny's long gone from the booth—retired in 2019 after 38 years calling Commanders games with Huff and Herzog, that golden radio trio fans muted TVs for. Now at 91, he's chilling post-football, no big business or charity headlines, just savoring a 55-year Washington saga from Duke star to gridiron poet.

How would Sonny Jurgensen perform in today's NFL?

Sonny would've feasted in today's NFL—those no-blitz rules, RPOs, and 17-game slates suit his quick release and sidearm sorcery perfectly. 508 attempts in '67? Modern QBs laugh at that; he'd pad 32k yards to 50k easy, hanging in pockets like he begged blockers for those four seconds. Vince Lombardi's "best ever" tag holds up.

How does Sonny Jurgensen compare to Joe Theismann?

Sonny Jurgensen edges Joe Theismann as Commanders QB royalty—Sonny's cannon built the pass-happy blueprint with 19.03 rating in a brutal era, 255 TDs lifetime. Joe's Super Bowl flash and 52.07 rating shine brighter on paper, but Sonny's the artist who made No. 9 sacred, no one's touched it since '74. Gunslinger over game-manager every time.