15 Greatest NFL Draft Steals of All-Time
By Daniel Tran
4. Johnny Unitas
Much like the Bart Starr in the prior slide, Johnny Unitas has reached legendary status among NFL fans, but he was never thought of as such when he first entered the NFL. The man who would become the face of the Greatest Game Ever Played actually entered the league with little fanfare.
Picked in the nineth round of the 1955 NFL Draft, the quarterback out of Louisville was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers, only to be cut because he was one of four quarterbacks trying to secure three spots at the position.
Unable to sign with a team during the season, Unitas worked construction and kept in shape by playing for the Bloomfield Rams for the superstar salary of $6.00 per game. The next season, the Baltimore Colts called him for a spot on their roster, and Unitas would never go hungry again.
After a rocky start, Unitas would become a full-time starter and launch a fruitful career that included 10 Pro-Bowl Selections, four MVP awards, and 3 NFL Championships. He would end his career with 40,239 passing yards, and a record for the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass – a record that would stand for 52 years before Drew Brees broke it in 2012.
When he retired in 1974, Unitas was regarded as the best quarterback of all time. He would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Next: Joe Montana