March 15, 1926: Norm Van Brocklin Is Born

March 15, 1926, 100 years ago: Norman Mack Van Brocklin is born in Parade, South Dakota, and grows up in the San Francisco suburb of Walnut Creek, California. He left high school to enter the U.S. Navy during World War II, and starred at the University of Oregon, before playing for the Los Angeles Rams, debuting with them in 1949.

This led to perhaps the NFL's 1st great "quarterback controversy," as the Rams already had Bob Waterfield, who had already led them to the NFL Championship in 1945, their last season in Cleveland. In 1949, Waterfield started 11 of 12 games, and the Rams reached the NFL Championship Game, but lost it to the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1950, Van Brocklin started 7 games, Waterfield 5, and again, they reached the Championship Game, losing it to the Cleveland Browns. Both times, Waterfield started, but Van Brocklin did play.

In 1951, Waterfield started 10 games, Van Brocklin only 2. One of those was on September 28, against the woebegone football version of the New York Yankees. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 554 yards. Despite all the advances in the passing game over the last 75 years, that is a single-game record that still stands. Once again, the Rams reached the Championship Game. Once again, head coach Joe Stydahar, previously a Hall of Fame lineman with the Chicago Bears, named Waterfield the starter. This time, the Rams beat the Browns.

In 1952, Van Brocklin started 7 games, Waterfield 5. Waterfield then retired. Van Brocklin got them back to the Championship Game in 1955. In 1958, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. In training camp in 1959, a young tackle was injured, and Van Brocklin taught him how to watch film. That tackle never played a down of pro ball, but a coach was born that day: John Madden. He also tutored the Eagles' young backup quarterback, future Hall-of-Famer Christian "Sonny" Jurgensen.

I think that's Ray Nitschke,

the Packers' Hall of Fame linebacker, behind him.

In 1960, Van Brocklin led the Eagles to a 12-2 record, winning the NFL Championship Game over the Green Bay Packers, 17-13 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. This made him the 1st quarterback to lead 2 different teams to the NFL title. There have been 2 since: Peyton Manning and Tom Brady *.

After that game, Van Brocklin retired as a player, and, with Eagles head coach Buck Shaw also retiring, fully expected to be named head coach. He wasn't, and 1960 remained their last NFL Championship for 57 years. The Curse of the Dutchman? Oddly, when they won again in the 2017 season, it was in part because they had to change quarterbacks late in the season, as Carson Wentz got hurt, and Nick Foles led them the rest of the way.

For the 1961 season, Van Brocklin was named the 1st head coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings, leading them through 1966. He tutored their 1st starting quarterback, future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton. From 1968 to 1974, he coached the Atlanta Falcons. He never reached the Playoffs as a coach.

Tarkenton and Van Brocklin

He died on May 2, 1983, only 57 years old, after battling brain cancer: After leaving the hospital, he said he got a brain transplant: "They gave me a sportswriter's brain, to make sure I got one that hadn't been used." A 9-time Pro Bowler, he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oddly, neither the Rams nor the Eagles have retired his Number 11.