Tuesday was another April Fool's Day, and it brings back memories of a former Washington Redskins great.
It was April 1, 1964, and the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback, who had been drafted seven years earlier (43rd overall) out of Duke, had enjoyed a tremendous 1961 season. He led the NFL in passing yards, completions, and passing touchdowns, leading the Eagles to a 10-4 record.
However, the Eagles were losers in 1962 (3-10-1) and 1963 (2-10-2). Eagles' HC Nick Skorich had led the successful season in 1961 and the next two losing seasons, so he was fired. The new HC Joe Kuharich had a meeting with his quarterback.
"I had just met with the new coach of the Eagles, who had come in with the new owner," the quarterback said. "I met with him, sat in his office for a few hours, talked about what we were going to do, what offense we were going to have, and how we were going to win again.
"I left, went to lunch, met some friends of mine. Then someone came in and said you were traded to the Redskins. I said, 'No, it's April Fools' Day, you're kidding.' He said, 'No, I'm not kidding. I just heard it on the radio.' So I was shocked."
That Eagles quarterback traded to Washington was none other than Sonny Jurgensen. In Washington, Jurgensen shined brightly. Bright enough that in 1966, Jurgensen led the NFL in passing completions and passing yards. The following season (1967), Jurgensen led the NFL in passing completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and fourth-quarter comebacks. In fact, his 31 passing touchdowns in that 14-game season remain the franchise record some 57 regular seasons later!
In 1969, under Vince Lombardi, Jurgensen again led the NFL in passing completions and passing yards, and the following season, he led the NFL in completion percentage.
The Eagles' Kuharich wanted Washington's QB Norm Snead, who had been drafted second overall in 1961. But Snead had struggled in Washington, so the trade was made. Snead would quarterback the Eagles from 1964 to 1970 before being traded to the Vikings, Giants, 49ers, and Giants again.
Jurgensen, meanwhile, remained with Washington in the 1964-74 seasons, developed into the gunslinger of that era, and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the class of 1983. Two of Jurgensen's receivers in Washington would also make it to the Hall of Fame when Bobby Mitchell and Charley Taylor were elected. Taylor by the way, when he retired following the 1977 season, was the NFL's All-Time leading receptions leader. Jurgensen concluded his career with a career QB rating of 82.6; his stats include 2,433 completions for 32,224 yards and 255 touchdowns.
It all began in what Jurgensen thought was an April Fool's joke being played on himself in 1964.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Eagles got rid of their QB and Washington got HOF Sonny Jurgensen
