Dan Fouts and 9 other greatest NFL careers in Oregon football history
By Sam Fariss
51. . . Norm Van Brocklin. Quarterback & Punter, 1949-1960. Norm Van Brocklin. player. 2. . Norm Van Brocklin
Nicknamed the “Dutchman,” Norm Van Brocklin was a multi-faceted, incredibly talented player in the NFL.
Leading the Rams to an NFL Championship in 1951 and the Eagles to an NFL Championship in 1960, Van Brocklin spent a very successful 12 years in the league.
A nine-time Pro Bowler, Van Brocklin through 1,553 completions for 23,611 passing yards. He had a career total of 173 passing touchdowns and was a part of the only team to ever defeat the Green Bay Packers under head coach Vince Lombardi.
Lombardi’s NFL Championship ring seemed a sure thing in 1960 until Van Brocklin and the Eagles came storming to victory, defeating the Packers 17-13.
To this day, Van Brocklin holds the record for passing yards in a single game at 554 yards. Topping it all off, he had 523 career punts for an average of 42.9 yards per punt.
In his final season, Van Brocklin was voted the NFL Most Valuable Player and the former Duck was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
Van Brocklin went on to coach the Minnesota Vikings from 1961-1966 and the Atlanta Falcons from 1968-1974, he was also the Georgia Tech running backs coach in 1979.