Jacky Lee obit

Jacky Lee, former Broncos QB, dies at age 77

 

He was not on the list.

Former Broncos quarterback Jack "Jacky" Ross Lee died Monday in Houston after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. He was 77.

Lee attended the University of Cincinnati, where he was the team MVP, named all-conference in 1958 and 1959, and earned MVP honors at the 1960 Senior Bowl. Lee was inducted into the school's hall of fame and ring of honor in 2007.

Lee was drafted by the American Football League's Houston Oilers in 1960, becoming their first drafted quarterback in history.

He was a quarterback in the American Football League (AFL) for all ten of its seasons (1960–1969). He played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats.

After playing football, baseball, and basketball at Ellet High School in Akron, Ohio, he played college football at the University of Cincinnati. In 1958–1959, Lee was the Bearcats' most valuable player (MVP) and an all-conference quarterback. In 1960, he was MVP of the Senior Bowl.

In 1960, he was the first quarterback ever drafted by the American Football League's Houston Oilers, where he split time with George Blanda in the Oilers' 1960 and 1961 AFL Championship seasons. In 1961, Lee threw for 457 yards against the Boston Patriots, then an AFL record, and set another league record with a 98-yard touchdown to Willard Dewveall against the Chargers. Lee and Blanda combined to throw 38 touchdowns for the Oilers in 1961. Lee played in every game for the Oilers from 1961 to 1963.

In 1964, he was the first and only player to ever be "lend-leased" to another team. He was loaned to the Denver Broncos and returned to the Oilers two years later. While in Denver, Lee threw for 370 yards in one half against the Oakland Raiders.

In 1967, Lee was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs after four games. He spent most of his last three years as the back-up to Len Dawson with the Chiefs. He was part of the 1969 AFL and World Championship (Super Bowl IV) winning team.

He was one of only twenty men who played in each of the ten years of the AFL's existence.

Lee retired in 1970 after a shoulder injury. He went on to have a successful career in commercial real estate in Houston.

 

Career history

Houston Oilers (1960–1963)

Denver Broncos (1964–1965)

Houston Oilers (1966–1967)

Kansas City Chiefs (1967–1969)

Awards and highlights

3× AFL champion (1960, 1961, 1969)

Super Bowl champion (IV)

Career NFL statistics

TD–INT          46–57

Passing yards  6,191

Completion percentage           51.3

Passer rating    65.6

Rushing yards 3,674

Games played  100