Stanford University is mourning the death of John Brodie, a Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Cardinal from 1954 to 1956. Brodie was recognized as a consensus All-American in 1956 and set the program record for career passing yards during his collegiate career.
He was selected in the first round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, becoming the fifth Stanford player to be chosen in the first round. Brodie went on to have a successful professional career with the 49ers, playing for 17 seasons from 1957 to 1973. He led the league in passing yards three times and touchdown passes twice. In 1965, he was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and his achievements peaked in 1970 when he became NFL MVP—the first former Stanford player to receive this honor.
At retirement, Brodie ranked third all-time in NFL passing yards and eighth in touchdown passes. Beyond football, he also competed on Stanford’s men’s golf team and later won a Senior PGA Tour title in 1991. His No.12 jersey has been retired by both Stanford and the San Francisco 49ers.
Andrew Luck, general manager of Stanford football, commented on Brodie’s legacy: “Our hearts are heavy after learning of the passing of John Brodie. Stanford’s rich tradition of quarterback play is synonymous with John Brodie,” Luck said. “He was one of the standard-bearers for elite quarterback play. His No.12 is among the most famous numbers in Bay Area sports, and is why I proudly have his Stanford jersey on display in my office. Our thoughts are with his family and the Bay Area sports community.”
Brodie was inducted into multiple halls of fame including those at Stanford Athletics, San Francisco 49ers, and College Football via The National Football Foundation in 1986. After retiring as an athlete, he worked as an analyst for NBC Sports covering both football and golf events such as Super Bowl XIII.
Stanford extended condolences to Brodie’s family and others affected by his contributions on and off the field.
