Daryle Lamonica

Did You Know?

• Lamonica hosted a national fishing show on Fox Sports Net called Outdoors with the Pros.
• In 2013, Football Nation ranked him the 67th best quarterback since the 1970 merger.
• The Professional Football Researchers Association named him to their Hall of Very Good Class of 2013.

Early life

Lamonica, of Italian and Irish ancestry, grew up on a ranch in California's Central Valley. He played in the first Little League World Series and was an all-state quarterback at Clovis High School, which later named its football stadium after him in 1974. He turned down a professional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs to play college football at Notre Dame, where he started for three seasons. In 30 games from 1960 through 1962, he completed 99 of 211 passes for 1,363 yards, eight touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, and rushed for 353 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1962 East-West Shrine Game.

Professional football

Lamonica was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 24th round of the 1963 AFL draft and also by the Green Bay Packers in the 12th round of the 1963 NFL draft, choosing the Bills for better playing opportunities. In his rookie year, he played sparingly behind Jack Kemp, earning the nickname "the Fireman" for entering after injuries or ineffectiveness. He started the last two games, leading the Bills to victories, and finished the season with 33 completions on 71 attempts for 437 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions.

In 1964, he completed 55 of 128 passes for 1,137 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions, and rushed for 289 yards and six touchdowns, tying for the league lead in rushing touchdowns. He started one game that season, a win over the Denver Broncos. In 1965, he went 29 of 70 for 376 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions, starting one game. In 1966, his final year with Buffalo, he completed 33 of 84 passes for 549 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions.

During the Bills' three AFL title game appearances from 1964 to 1966, he threw only one pass. He then played eight seasons as the primary starter for the Oakland Raiders, leading them to four division titles and Super Bowl II.