Joe Theismann
Pro football quarterback; TV commentator
Born: September 9, 1949, in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Jersey Hall of Fame, Class of 2011: Sports
With a Super Bowl victory and an MVP trophy under his belt, Joe Theismann stands as one of the great professional football players nurtured in New Jersey.
The son of an Austrian-born father and a Hungarian mother, Theismann grew up in South River, in Middlesex County, and attended South River High School, lettering in baseball, football, and basketball. He received a football scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame, where he emerged as the starting quarterback in his sophomore year.
As a junior, Theismann led Notre Dame to a No. 5 national ranking and a shot against the University of Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame lost, but beat Texas at the Cotton Bowl the following season, when Theismann steered his school to a 10-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking.
Theismann earned All-American honors in his senior year and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting. He set numerous school records during his Notre Dame career, finishing with 4,411 yards passing and 31 touchdowns, while compiling a 20-3-2 winning record as starting quarterback for the Fighting Irish.
A multi-sport star, Theismann was selected 99th overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins; he was also drafted by baseball’s Minnesota Twins. When negotiations with the Dolphins proved fruitless, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
Theismann was a Canadian all-star for two of his three seasons with the Argonauts, but left Toronto for the Washington Redskins in 1974. He went on to spend his entire 12-season NFL career with the Redskins. Initially used as a punt-returner and backup quarterback, he took over as starting quarterback in 1978.
In 1982, Theismann led the Redskins to a Super Bowl victory over the Dolphins. The following season, Theismann’s team ran up an impressive 14-2 record but lost the Super Bowl to the Los Angeles Raiders. Still it was a memorable year for Theismann, who threw for a career-high 3,714 yards and 29 touchdowns, winning league MVP honors.
In a November 1985 game against the New York Giants, Theismann’s career abruptly ended when he was sacked by Giants’ great Lawrence Taylor. Theismann’s lower right leg was broken in two places; he never played again. Theismann retired with numerous Washington franchise records, including most wins by a quarterback (87) and most career passing yards (25,206).
After his years as a player, Theismann thrived as a sportscaster and analyst for ESPN for nearly 20 years, mostly working the network’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcasts. He also served as a color commentator for CBS’s football telecasts from 1986-1987. More recently, he has worked on the Washington Commanders preseason broadcast team and in various roles with the NFL Network.