Jim Turner (placekicker)

James Bayard Turner (March 28, 1941 – June 10, 2023) was an American professional football placekicker who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and Denver Broncos. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Jets and a member of their Super Bowl III championship team. Turner was chosen for the AFL All-Time Second-team and the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.

Jim Turner

No. 11, 15
Position:	Placekicker
Personal information
Born:	(1941-03-28)March 28, 1941 Martinez, California, U.S.
Died:	June 10, 2023(2023-06-10) (aged 82) Arvada, Colorado, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	John Swett (Crockett, California)
College:	Utah State
NFL draft:	1963 / round: 19 / pick: 259
Career history
New York Jets (1964–1970) Denver Broncos (1971–1979)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (III) AFL champion (1968) 2× Pro Bowl (1968, 1969) 2× AFL scoring leader (1968, 1969) AFL All-Time Second-team Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Field goals attempted: 488 Field goals made: 304 Field goal percentage: 62.3% Longest field goal: 53 Extra points attempted: 543 Extra points made: 521 Extra point percentage: 95.9% Points scored: 1,439 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Career

Turner was born and raised in Martinez, California.^[1][2] He graduated from John Swett High School in 1959. He played for the football team as a quarterback and was also a freestyle swimmer.^[2] Turner attended Utah State University, where he played college football for the Utah State Aggies as both a quarterback and placekicker.^[3]

The Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) selected Turner in the 19th round of the 1963 NFL draft.^[4] He signed with the Redskins,^[5] but failed a tryout with the Redskins and was released. Turner signed with the New York Jets of the American Football League (AFL) as a free agent in 1964.^[6] He set then-league records with single-season totals of 145 points and 34 field goals in 1968.^[1][7][8] Turner kicked for nine points, making two of three field goals, in the AFL Championship Game win over the Oakland Raiders.^[9][10] He had 10 points in the Jets' 16–7 defeat of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.^[11][12] He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1968 and 1969.^[13]

Following the 1970 season the Jets traded Turner to the Denver Broncos for Bobby Howfield.^[8] He scored four points in the Broncos' losing effort in Super Bowl XII against the Dallas Cowboys, connecting on a 47-yard field goal and an extra point following a touchdown run by Rob Lytle.^[14][15]

Turner finished his career with 304 of 488 (62%) field goals and 521 of 534 extra points, giving him 1,439 total points.^[13] Upon his retirement, he ranked second in field goals in NFL history, with only a fellow AFL veteran in George Blanda having more; Turner now ranks in the top 35 for kickers four decades after his career ended.^[16][17] He did not miss a game, playing in 228 consecutive contests.^[11] His single-season scoring record was broken by Mark Moseley in 1983, and Ali Haji-Sheikh broke Turner's field goal record the same season.^[1] He was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1988^[18] and the Utah State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.^[3]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the Super Bowl
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	Field Goals				Extra Points			Points
			FGA	FGM	Lng	Pct	XPA	XPM	Pct
1964	NYJ	14	27	13	50	48.1	33	33	100.0	72
1965	NYJ	14	34	20	49	58.8	31	31	100.0	91
1966	NYJ	14	35	18	45	51.4	35	34	97.1	88
1967	NYJ	14	32	17	48	53.1	39	36	92.3	87
1968	NYJ	14	46	34	49	73.9	43	43	100.0	145
1969	NYJ	14	47	32	50	68.1	33	33	100.0	129
1970	NYJ	14	35	19	42	54.3	28	28	100.0	85
1971	DEN	14	38	25	49	65.8	18	18	100.0	93
1972	DEN	14	29	20	49	69.0	37	37	100.0	97
1973	DEN	14	33	22	50	66.7	40	40	100.0	106
1974	DEN	14	21	11	43	52.4	38	35	92.1	68
1975	DEN	14	28	21	53	75.0	26	23	88.5	86
1976	DEN	14	21	15	47	71.4	39	36	92.3	81
1977	DEN	14	19	13	48	68.4	34	31	91.2	70
1978	DEN	16	22	11	45	50.0	35	31	88.6	64
1979	DEN	16	21	13	49	61.9	34	32	94.1	71
Career		228	488	304	53	62.3	543	521	95.9	1,433

Postseason

Year	Team	GP	Field Goals			Extra Points			Points
			FGA	FGM	Pct	XPA	XPM	Pct
1968	NYJ	2	8	5	62.5	4	4	100.0	19
1969	NYJ	1	2	2	100.0	–	–	–	6
1977	DEN	3	6	3	50.0	7	7	100.0	16
1978	DEN	1	2	1	50.0	1	1	100.0	4
1979	DEN	1	–	–	–	1	1	100.0	1
Career		8	18	11	61.1	13	13	100.0	46

Broadcasting career

In 1981, Turner joined NBC Sports as a color commentary sportscaster.^[19]

Personal life

Turner's wife, Mary Kay, is from El Sobrante, California.^[2] They had three daughters and lived in Arvada, Colorado.^[17]

Turner died in Arvada, Colorado from heart failure on June 10, 2023, at the age of 82.^[20][21]

See also

• List of American Football League players
• List of most consecutive starts and games played by National Football League players

References

1. Traub, Alex (June 14, 2023). "Jim Turner, Who Kicked the Jets Into Super Bowl History, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
2. Staff, S. I. "THE FACE OF AN EDUCATED TOE". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com.
3. Denniston, Wade (September 9, 2013). "Turner humbled to be part of USU Hall of Fame". The Herald Journal.
4. Stann, Francis (December 7, 1962). "Snead Must Learn Boo Is A Misleading Word". The Evening Star. Retrieved June 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "The News and Observer 23 May 1963, page 31". Newspapers.com. May 23, 1963. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
6. "Jets Sign Jim Turner As New Place-Kicker – The New York Times". The New York Times. March 24, 1964. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
7. "Former Utah State Player Unsung Hero For N.Y. Jets". Ogden Standard Examiner. UPI. October 26, 1969. p. 4C. Retrieved June 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Anderson, Dave (January 28, 1971). "Jets Send Turner to Broncos for Howfield in Deal for Kicking Specialists – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
9. Lange, Randy (June 13, 2023). "Jets Super Bowl III Kicker Jim Turner Dies at 82". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
10. "1968 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
11. David, Michael (June 12, 2023). "Jim Turner, who kicked three field goals in Jets' Super Bowl III win, dies at 82 – ProFootballTalk". Profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
12. "Super Bowl III – New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts – January 12th, 1969". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
13. "Jim Turner Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
14. Moss, Irv (June 18, 2016). "Even loss to Cowboys didn't ruin Broncos initial trip to Super Bowl". Denver Post. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
15. "Super Bowl XII – Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys – January 15th, 1978". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
16. "NFL Career Field Goals Made Leaders Through 1979". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
17. Walker, Bill (July 1, 1988). "A DIFFERENT KICK : Former NFL Placekicker Jim Turner Now Knocks Around a Racquetball". Los Angeles Times.
18. "Where Are They Now: Jim Turner". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
19. Walz, Steve K. (November 1, 1981). "Broadcasting's a new kick for Turner". Wichita Falls Times. Sunday Magazine, p. 26. Retrieved June 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
20. Traub, Alex (June 15, 2023). "Jim Turner, Who Kicked the Jets Into Super Bowl History, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
21. "Broncos, Jets kicking great Jim Turner dies at 82". 9news.com. January 1, 1978. Retrieved June 13, 2023.

External links

• NFL.com player page
• Turner's stats at databasefootball.com