Trivia

Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning had four pairs of high-top black shoes made, which he planned to wear in the Colts 15 September 2002 game as a tribute to Unitas. But the NFL threatened to slap Manning with a $25,000 fine if he wore the shoes. Further, it declared that only the Baltimore Ravens would have the sole right to honor Unitas with a patch or armband on their uniforms that Sunday.

Is of Lithuanian descent.

Was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 and released before the 1956 season, by the Steelers, who had decided to go with a roster which included three quarterbacks instead of four. One of the three quarterbacks who stayed (and beat Unitas out of a job) was Ted Marchibroda, who was appointed head coach of the Baltimore Colts beginning in the 1975 season. Unitas hitchhiked home from Steelers training camp even though the Steelers had given him bus fare. He was soon signed by the Baltimore Colts, in time to join the team for the 1956 season. Unitas and Marchibroda later became friends.

Married second wife, Sandy Lemon, 1 hour after divorcing his wife of 18 years, Dorothy.

First drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955, but never played in a Steelers regular season game before being released by the Steelers. Unitas was picked up as a free agent by Baltimore before the 1956 NFL regular season, and played quarterback for the National Football League's Baltimore Colts (1956-1972) and then one season for the San Diego Chargers (1973).

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Graduated from the University of Louisville.

Held the NFL record for most career touchdown passes until Fran Tarkenton broke it.

Played with a Pittsburgh semipro team, the Bloomfield Rams, before signing on with the Colts.

Requested that his name be deleted from the Colts' record books when the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984.

Held the all time NFL record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass with 47. Until Drew Brees broke it on October 7,2012.

The football and lacrosse stadium at Towson University (named Towson State University at the time), where some of his children attended, where he lived nearby, and was also an active fundraiser for the school, was named Johnny Unitas Stadium in his honor.

He often worked on pass plays in his backyard with his favorite receiver, Raymond Berry.

Voted the separate awards of Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the National Football League for 1959, 1964, and 1967 (six separate awards), all while playing for the Baltimore Colts.

First Colts Quarterback to pass for over 400 yards - 401 vs. Atlanta Falcons on 9/17/67.

Inducted into the Lithuanian American Hall of Fame in 2013.

Founded a suburban Baltimore, Maryland restaurant with a partner in 1968, during his Baltimore Colts heyday, named after Unitas, the restaurant was named 'Johnny Unitas's Golden Arm.' The restaurant stayed open long after his football career ended, and still attracted football fans both before and after games, and often hosted players after games too. In later years, one of the owners decided to replace the Men's room door plaque with a plaque which instead read "The Bob Irsay Room," which was a joke about Baltimore Colt's owner Irsay moving the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA after the 1983 NFL season. The restaurant closed in 1994.

Unitas' last game with the Baltimore Colts was in 1972, wherein he threw his final touchdown pass as a Baltimore Colt, and then was replaced, in that same game, by new Colts starting quarterback, Marty Domres, who the Colts replaced with a player they picked up by trade from the NFL's San Diego Chargers. In an unrelated trade, Unitas was later traded to the same San Diego Chargers after the end of the 1972 season, and he played his final NFL season with the Chargers in 1973, before retiring during the off-season between 1973 and 1974, and returned to his adopted home of Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Indianapolis Colts All Time Passing Yards Leader (39,768).

Father of Joe Unitas