Fansided

Best quarterback/wide receiver duos in NFL history

By Staff

INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 16: Peyton Manning No. 18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates the touchdown of Marvin Harrison No. 88 for a 30-20 lead over the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 16, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 16: Peyton Manning No. 18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates the touchdown of Marvin Harrison No. 88 for a 30-20 lead over the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 16, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – CIRCA 1960’s: Quarterback Sonny Jurgensen #9 of the Washington Redskins rolls out to pass during a circa late 1960’s NFL football game at RFK stadium in Washington, D.C.. Jurgenson played for the Redskins from 1964-74. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – CIRCA 1960’s: Quarterback Sonny Jurgensen #9 of the Washington Redskins rolls out to pass during a circa late 1960’s NFL football game at RFK stadium in Washington, D.C.. Jurgenson played for the Redskins from 1964-74. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

7. Sonny Jurgensen and Charley Taylor

It isn’t often that you see an NFL team poach a rival team’s quarterback, but that’s exactly what happened with Sonny Jurgensen. He was the No. 43 overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, and he waited four years for the starting spot.

In his first full year as the starter in 1961, he led the NFL with 32 passing touchdowns and 3,723 passing yards. Actually, the reason why it took Jurgensen so long to earn the starting job was because Norm Van Brocklin was busy leading the Eagles to a championship in 1960.

But Jurgensen’s time in Philly came to an end when he left for the Washington Redskins in 1964. He was paired with Charley Taylor, the third-overall pick from the 1964 NFL Draft. They hit it off right away on the gridiron.

Jurgensen and Taylor connected for eight touchdowns in their first two years together before exploding out of the gate in 1966. Jurgensen led the league with 3,209 passing yards and tossed 28 touchdowns. Taylor led the NFL with 72 receptions and had a career-high of 1,119 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

The duo put together 11 solid years with the Redskins but never managed to win the whole thing. The closest they got was losing the Super Bowl 14-7 in 1972 to an undefeated Miami Dolphins team.

Injuries and age caught up with Jurgensen in 1974, and he retired at the age of 40 before Taylor eventually retired in 1977. Jurgensen threw 255 passing touchdowns during his tenure, and Taylor caught 53 of them. Taylor ended up with 79 receiving touchdowns.

Had it not been for one of the best teams in NFL history, Jurgensen and Taylor would have led the Redskins to their first Super Bowl win in franchise history. But instead, Washington had to wait until 1982 for that to happen.

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