BALTIMORE — The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® presented by A. O. Smith Corp. has narrowed its 2019 season watch list to five of the nation’s top quarterbacks.
The Golden Arm Award Selection Committee selected the remaining nominees based on player performance on-and-off the field. Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class.
After 11 weeks of play, the five finalists for the 2019 Golden Arm Award are:
• Joe Burrow, LSU — Burrows has completed 236 of 299 passes for 3,198 yards (79% completion rate) throwing for 33 touchdowns with just four interceptions and a QB rating of 92.6.
• Justin Herbert, Oregon — Herbert has completed 200 of 288 passes for 2,329 yards (69% completion rate) throwing for 24 touchdowns with just two interceptions and a QB rating of 78.1.
• Tyler Huntley, Utah — Huntley has completed 141 of 191 passes for 2,062 yards, (74% completion rate) throwing for 11 touchdowns with just one interception and a QB rating of 89.5.
• Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma — Hurts has completed 151 of 206 passes for 2,742 yards, (73% completion rate) throwing for 24 touchdowns with just four interceptions and a QB rating of 94.1.
• Brady White, Memphis — White has completed 164 of 243 passes for 2,511 yards (68% completion rate) throwing for 23 touchdowns with just four interceptions and a QB rating of 74.8.
The 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® Presented by A. O. Smith will be presented on Wednesday, Dec. 11 in Baltimore at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore.
Giving life to the commitment to give back, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation Inc. and presenting sponsor A. O. Smith continue to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young scholar athletes. A. O. Smith is committed to creating innovative solutions that set new standards for their industry, just like Unitas did in football.
Proceeds donated to the Golden Arm Award help support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, which helps underprivileged and deserving student-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, and 290 touchdowns. He’s recognized for throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.
Unitas was inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 1979. The Hall of Fame, in commemorations of the NFL’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries, selected Unitas as the top quarterback of all-time. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine’s list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN’s series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century.
Past standout winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, 2006); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011); Marcus Mariota (Oregon, 2014); Connor Cook (Michigan State, 2015); Deshaun Watson (Clemson, 2016); Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State, 2017); and last year’s winner Gardner Minshew, II (Washington State). For more information, visit www.hotwater.com.
