George Blanda — Blanda played football in a seemingly impossible four different decades, starting way back in 1949 as a backup quarterback, kicker and linebacker with the Chicago Bears. Blanda hitched on with the Oilers in the AFL’s inaugural season after having retired from the NFL in 1958.
Blanda was one of the most prolific AFL passers, throwing for a then-pro-football record 36 passes in 1961. The record stood until Dan Marino threw 48 in 1984. Blanda also holds the dubious record for most interceptions in one season with 42 in 1962. Blanda and the Oilers won AFL championships in the league’s first two seasons.
Dan Pastorini –Pastorini is known as one of the toughest quarterbacks to play the game in his era. He’s perhaps best known as the first quarterback to wear a flack jacket to protect the broken ribs he was playing through at the time. Pastorini led the Oilers to the 1979 AFC Championship, where they lost in a controversial game to the Raiders.
Pastorini was also the team’s punter for many years, piling up 12,530 yards with his leg during his 12-year career. Pastorini was named to one Pro Bowl during his career and had a colorful career outside of football, acting in movies and taking part in drag races and hydroplane races.
Warren Moon — Moon was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Moon started his career in the CFL after no NFL team would give him a chance, but when he moved on to the NFL in 1984, he made it count, staying in the league until he was 44 years old, playing 17 seasons.
Moon made the Pro Bowl nine times, including eight seasons in a row and was a three-time All-Pro selection. He made the playoffs seven times during his NFL career, but never made it past the second round. Moon’s best season came in 1990 when he threw for 4,689 yards, 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 49,325 career passing yards ranks fifth all time, despite starting his NFL career so late.
Steve McNair — McNair was taken No. 3 overall in 1995 to become the team’s franchise quarterback. He was the highest drafted African-American quarterback in league history when he was drafted. McNair backed up Chris Chandler for his first two seasons in the league until taking over as the then-Tennesee Oilers’ full-time starter in 1997.
McNair was a three-time Pro Bowler (2000, 2003, 2004), an All-Pro selection in 2004 and he was the league MVP in 2003, sharing the honor with Peyton Manning. The Titans went 12-4 that season while McNair threw for 3,215 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. McNair was also an accomplished rushing quarterback, totaling 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns in his NFL career.
