<P> Blanda was a quarterback and kicker at Kentucky . Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who later won fame and set countless records at Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, arrived in his sophomore year, following a 1--9 season . The Wildcats lost three games in each of the next three years . </P> <P> Blanda was the starting quarterback his last two seasons at Kentucky (1947--1948), compiling 120 completions in 242 passes (49.6 percent completions), 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns . </P> <P> Blanda was signed by the Chicago Bears for $600 in 1949, an amount owner George Halas demanded back when he made the team, as Blanda was now given a very lucrative contract for many, many dollars more . While primarily used as a quarterback and placekicker, Blanda also saw time on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker . It was not until 1953 that Blanda emerged as the Bears' top signal caller, but an injury the following year effectively ended his first - string status . For the next four years, he was used mostly in a kicking capacity . Later commenting on his testy relationship with Halas, Blanda noted, "he was too cheap to even buy me a kicking shoe ." Blanda later reflected that by the 1950s the pro game had moved beyond Halas, who seemed to lack the interest he had earlier . </P> <P> Blanda retired after the 1958 NFL season because of Halas' insistence on only using him as a kicker, but returned in 1960 upon the formation of the American Football League . He signed with the Houston Oilers as both a quarterback and kicker . He was derided by the sports media as an "NFL Reject", but he went on to lead the Oilers to the first two league titles in AFL history, and he was the All - AFL quarterback and won AFL Player of the Year honors in 1961 . During that season, he led the AFL in passing yards (3,330) and touchdown passes (36). His 36 touchdown passes in 1961 were the most ever thrown by any NFL / AFL quarterback in a single season, until matched by Y.A. Tittle of the NFL New York Giants two years later in 1963 . Blanda's and Tittle's mark remained the record until surpassed by Dan Marino's 48 touchdown passes in 1984 . Blanda's 42 interceptions thrown in 1962 is a record that still stands . </P>

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