Editing Johnny Unitas (section)

==Post-playing years==
[[File:Johnny Unitas.jpg|thumb|A signed photograph of Unitas in his later years]]
After his playing days were finished, Unitas settled in Baltimore where he raised his family while also pursuing a career in broadcasting, doing [[color commentator|color commentary]] for NFL games on [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] in the 1970s.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |last=Donahue |first=Ben |date=April 30, 2022 |title=The Life And Career Of Johnny Unitas (Complete Story) |url=https://www.profootballhistory.com/johnny-unitas/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Pro Football History}}</ref> He was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1979.<ref name=":5" /> He was said to be in tune with the psyche of Baltimore,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alvarez |first=Rafael |date=October 6, 2016 |title=Johnny Unitas Threw His First NFL Pass 60 Years Ago |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/sports/johnny-unitas-threw-his-first-nfl-pass-60-years-ago/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Baltimore Magazine}}</ref> and former Maryland Governor and Baltimore Mayor [[William Donald Schaefer]] said, "He never passed anybody by. ... He gave the city hope.'"<ref name=":18" /> In 1999, [[NFL Films]] and [[HBO]] produced a documentary about Unitas. Pro Football Hall of Fame writer [[Ray Didinger]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ray Didinger: A Farewell To My Hero |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/ray-didinger-a-farewell-to-my-hero |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=www.philadelphiaeagles.com}}</ref> one of the program's writers and producers, emphasized that they wanted to show the relationship between the Colts and Baltimore as a powerful part of Unitas's story.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 10, 1999 |title=HBO's 60-Minute documentary chronicles Unitas' storied career |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/12/10/hbos-60-minute-documentary-chronicles-unitas-storied-career/ |work=Baltimore Sun}}</ref>

After [[Robert Irsay]] [[Baltimore Colts relocation to Indianapolis|moved the Colts franchise]] to [[Indianapolis]] in 1984, a move known to this day in Baltimore as "Bob Irsay's Midnight Ride," he was so outraged that he cut all ties to the relocated team (though his No. 19 jersey is still retired by the Colts), declaring himself strictly a ''Baltimore'' Colt for the remainder of his life.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Unitas Archives |url=https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/sep-keyword/johnny-unitas/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=The Saturday Evening Post}}</ref><ref name=":19" /> Some other prominent old-time Colts followed his lead,<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 1996 |title=Scratch These Colts : Unitas and Matte Don't Think About How Their Former Team Is Doing, Because They Don't Consider Indianapolis Their Former Team |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-01-13-sp-24143-story.html |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> although many attended the 1975 team's reunion at [[Lucas Oil Stadium]] in Indianapolis in 2009. A total of 39 Colts players from that 1975 team attended said reunion in Indianapolis, including [[Bert Jones]] and [[Lydell Mitchell]]. Unitas asked the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] on numerous occasions (including on [[Roy Firestone]]'s film ''Up Close'') to remove his display unless it was listed as belonging to the Baltimore Colts. The Hall of Fame has never complied with the request. Unitas donated his Colts memorabilia to the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore.<ref name=":19" /> They were on display at the [[Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards]] until its closure in 2015.

Unitas was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.americanfootballassn.com/forms/2010HallofFameListing.pdf |title=Hall of Fame listing |website=americanfootballassn.com |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-date=January 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122083011/http://www.americanfootballassn.com/forms/2010HallofFameListing.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Unitas actively lobbied for another NFL team to come to Baltimore. After the football organization that made up the original [[Cleveland Browns]] moved to Baltimore in 1996 and [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy|established the Baltimore Ravens]], he and some of the other old-time Colts attended the [[Baltimore Ravens|Ravens]]' first game ever against the Raiders on Opening Day at [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]]. He was frequently seen on the Ravens' sidelines at home games<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2000/04/17/fallen-qb-redman-provides-uplifting-moment-for-ravens/|title=Fallen QB Redman provides uplifting moment for Ravens|last=Rosenthal|first=Ken|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=April 17, 2000|access-date=September 11, 2014|archive-date=September 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911204711/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-04-17/sports/0004170068_1_chris-redman-savage-ravens|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/2002-09-13/sports/25361625_1_johnny-unitas-memorial-stadium-psinet-stadium-ravens-stadium|title=Ravens, others plan Unitas tributes|publisher=Philly.com|date=September 13, 2002|access-date=September 11, 2014|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090027/http://articles.philly.com/2002-09-13/sports/25361625_1_johnny-unitas-memorial-stadium-psinet-stadium-ravens-stadium|url-status=dead}}</ref> (most prominently in 1998 when the now-Indianapolis Colts played the Ravens in Baltimore) and received a thunderous ovation every time he was pictured on each of the huge widescreens at [[M&T Bank Stadium]]. He was often seen on the 30-yard line on the Ravens side.<ref name=":16" /><ref name=":19" />

When the NFL celebrated its first 50 years, Unitas was voted the league's best player.<ref name=":16" /> Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame middle linebacker [[Ray Nitschke]] said of Unitas, "'What a tough guy and what a leader. ... He was the best I ever faced.'"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steadman |first=John |date=January 20, 1995 |title=Old-time fete shows how far NFL has come |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/01/20/old-time-fete-shows-how-far-nfl-has-come-2/ |work=Baltimore Sun}}</ref> Retired Bears quarterback [[Sid Luckman]] said of Unitas, "He was better than me, better than [[Sammy Baugh]], better than anyone."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016574.html|title=Unitas surprised them all|last=Carter|first=Bob|work=espn.com|access-date=September 11, 2014|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175501/http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016574.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Hall of fame player, and NFL coach, Raymond Berry said that what made Unitas unique "'was his uncanny instinct for calling the right play at the right time, his icy composure under fire, his fierce competitiveness and his utter disregard for his own safety."<ref name=":2" />