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Scott Hunter (American football)

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James Scott Hunter (born November 19, 1947) is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons in the 1970s. He played for the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons, and Detroit Lions.

Scott Hunter
No. 16, 10
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1947-11-19) November 19, 1947 (age 77)
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:Vigor (Prichard, Alabama)
College:Alabama
NFL draft:1971 / round: 6 / pick: 140
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Cmp-Att:335-748
Passing yards:4,756
Touchdowns:23
Interceptions:38
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early years

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Born in Mobile, Alabama, Hunter graduated from Vigor High School in Prichard.[1] After his senior season, Hunter was named AAAA All-Alabama by the Associated Press.[2] He committed to Alabama on December 4, 1965.[3]

College career

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As NCAA rules prohibited freshmen from playing on varsity football teams at the time, Hunter played on the freshman-only Crimson Tide in 1966.[4] He took a redshirt season in 1967, but became the starter in 1968.[5] In 1969, Alabama hosted the Ole Miss Rebels in a nationally televised game on October 4 in prime time for ABC. In a race of offenses, Hunter outgunned Rebel quarterback Archie Manning in a 33-32 win.[6] At the end of his senior year in 1970, Hunter caught a go-ahead touchdown in the 1970 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl en route to a tie with Oklahoma.[7]

Professional career

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Green Bay Packers

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Hunter was selected in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, the 140th overall pick.[8] He started ten games when starting quarterback Bart Starr was injured.[9] Hunter started the entire 1972 season and led the Packers to their first division title and playoff appearance since 1967 under the tutelage of Starr, who served that season as quarterbacks coach.[10] In 1973, Hunter played only a fraction of the time, embroiled in a quarterback competition with Jerry Tagge and Jim Del Gaizo.[11]

Buffalo Bills

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After signing a multi-year deal with the Packers in May 1974,[12] Hunter was traded in July to the Buffalo Bills after participating in the 1974 NFL strike.[13][14] The Bills sent Pete Van Valkenberg and Steve Okoniewski to the Packers in the trade.[15] Playing as backup to Joe Ferguson, Hunter made only one appearance all year, helping the team to a win against the Atlanta Falcons on October 16.[16] He was waived during the 1975 training camp and did not play in the NFL that season, instead running unsuccessfully for local government in Mobile.[17]

Atlanta Falcons

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Hunter landed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1976, starting the season on the bench and gaining playing time as the season went on.[18] Hunter started seven games in 1977, until starter Steve Bartkowski returned from knee surgery and took over as the full-time starter.[19] Hunter was released after the season, and did not play in the NFL in 1978.

Detroit Lions

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Hunter's last season in the NFL was 1979 with the Detroit Lions, where he backed up Jeff Komlo but still saw some action when the rookie struggled and occasionally challenged for the starting job.[20]

After football

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Hunter returned to Alabama and worked as a sportscaster in Mobile for nearly two decades. He worked for WKRG-TV, the CBS affiliate, and then for WPMI-TV, the NBC affiliate. He then worked as an investment broker.[21]

He also co-hosts a seasonal radio show on WNSP 105.5 FM called "Talkin' Football" (pronounced Tawlkin-Football) with former Auburn offensive lineman, Tracy Turner. Scott remains great friends with Archie Manning to this day and the two have intercontinental text conversations when Archie is in Europe. Hunter is known for "dropping it in the bucket" and being one of five Alabama quarterbacks (Blake Sims, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young) to throw for 400 yards in a game. Hunter is famous for "Keeping It Between the Lines" and not allowing coaching hot seat talk or "who danced with who on Saturday night" to derail conversations.

Prior to its closure, "Talkin' Football" was frequently hosted from John Word's Captain's Table, which was in the shadow of the USS Alabama. Hunter would often say that their steaks were "so big that they hang off your plate".

Hunter is a commercial pilot with over 4,000 flying hours. He flies a Cessna 182.[22]

Hunter was inducted in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.[23] He is married with three children, and resided in Daphne, Alabama in the late 2000s.[14] He had previously lived in De Pere, Wisconsin when he played with the Packers.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Scott Hunter". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  2. ^ "Anniston's Tolleson Named to 4A All-State Team". No. Anniston Star. December 12, 1965. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Scott Hunter Picks Alabama". Montgomery Advertiser. December 7, 1965. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Crimson Tide Frosh Have Trouble Before Drowning Baby Tigers, 6-3". Montgomery Advertiser. November 20, 1966. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Offensive Line Gets Credit From Hunter". Montgomery Advertiser. October 25, 1968. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Stephenson, Creg (September 25, 2019). "'Dang, we're behind again?': Scott Hunter, Archie Manning recall their 1969 shootout". AL.com. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  7. ^ Mack, Darrell (January 2, 1971). "Trick Play Figured In Bluebonnet Tie". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Scott Hunter". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  9. ^ Inabinett, Mark (May 26, 2019). "Scott Hunter on Bart Starr: 'The epitome of class'". AL.com. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  10. ^ Maule, Tex (October 30, 1972). "Green Bay turns with the Tide". Sports Illustrated. p. 30.
  11. ^ "Pack back where it started". Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter. October 9, 1973. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  12. ^ "Hunter signs with Packers". Milwaukee Sentinel. May 30, 1974. p. 3-part 2.
  13. ^ "Bills acquire Scott Hunter". Spartanburg (SC) Herald. Associated Press. July 30, 1974. p. B3.
  14. ^ a b Crowe, Jerry (August 25, 2008). "Hunter knows about replacing a legend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  15. ^ "Hunter of Packers Traded to Bills". New York Times. July 30, 1974. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  16. ^ Bailey, Budd (October 16, 2017). "This Day in Bills History, Oct. 16: Sleepwalking to a win". Buffalo News. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Marshall, Joe (October 24, 1977). "The fly now, swoop later plan". Sports Illustrated Vault. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  18. ^ "Scott Hunter alive, winning in Atlanta". Long Beach Independent. November 1, 1976. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Scott Hunter is trump card for Bennett". Florence (AL) Times. UPI. September 21, 1977. p. 35.
  20. ^ "Will Clark tab Hunter as starter?". Detroit Free Press. October 8, 1979. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Christl, Cliff (December 4, 2002). "Whatever happened to...Scott Hunter?". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. p. 4C.
  22. ^ Vaught, Lindsay (July 29, 2017). "Scott Hunter holds unique place in football history". The Madison Record. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  23. ^ "Inductees: Scott Hunter". Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. August 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  24. ^ Langenkamp, Don (February 14, 1973). "Scott Hunter looks for 'two more wins' in 1973". Oshkosh Northwestern. Retrieved October 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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