🏉 Sonny Jurgensen, Washington Football Hall of Fame Quarterback, Beloved Figure Dies At 91 - PBS

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PBS, Feb. 6, 2026.

Sonny Jurgensen, the Hall of Fame quarterback whose strong arm, keen wit and affable personality made him one of the most beloved figures in Washington football history, has died. He was 91. While a cause was not disclosed, a Washington Commanders spokesperson confirmed Friday the team learned of Jurgensen's death that morning from his family.

"We are enormously proud of his amazing life and accomplishments on the field, marked not only by a golden arm but also a fearless spirit and intellect that earned him a place among the legends in Canton," his family said in a statement. "He lived with deep appreciation for the teammates, colleagues and friends he met along the way. While he has taken his final snap, his legacy will remain an indelible part of the city he loved and the family he built."

Jurgensen arrived in Washington in 1964 in a surprise quarterback swap that sent Norm Snead to the Philadelphia Eagles. Over the next 11 seasons, Jurgensen rewrote the team's record books. He topped 3,000 yards in a season five times, including twice with Philadelphia, in an era before rules changes opened up NFL offenses. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and remains the only Washington player to wear the No. 9 jersey in a game.

Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football," said controlling owner Josh Harris, who grew up a fan. "For me, Sonny was the embodiment of what it means to don the burgundy and gold: tough, smart and endlessly devoted to this franchise and its fans." Jurgensen's four-plus decades of association with the franchise in Washington as a quarterback and then as a broadcaster made him a one-name celebrity in the nation's capital. He was the one and only Sonny, contrary but loyal: the everyman red-headed football player with the out-of-shape belly who kept a connection with fans but could also pull out a cigar and hobnob with the team owner.

Notorious for breaking curfew, Jurgensen was also known for ignoring coaches and joking about his less-than-ideal physique...
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/sonny-jurgensen-the-strong-arm-qb-whose-personality-made-him-a-beloved-football-figure-dies-at-91

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1. Sonny Jurgensen Highlights, No. 9, Quarterback. Washington Redskins,1964 -1974 (12 mins.)

- Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III (Aug. 23, 1934 – Feb. 6, 2026) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.
He played college football for the Duke Blue Devils. Jurgensen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He was also a longtime color commentator for Washington's radio broadcast crew.

Early life and education. Jurgensen was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Aug. 23, 1934. He started playing sports in elementary school, when he led his school to the city grammar school titles in baseball and basketball...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Jurgensen