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Jim Turner (placekicker)

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Jim Turner
BERJAYA
Turner in 1969
No. 11, 15
PositionPlacekicker
Personal information
Born(1941-03-28)March 28, 1941
Martinez, California, U.S.
DiedJune 10, 2023(2023-06-10) (aged 82)
Arvada, Colorado, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolJohn Swett
(Crockett, California)
CollegeUtah State
NFL draft1963 (19th round, 259th overall pick)
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Field goals attempted488
Field goals made304
Field goal percentage62.3%
Longest field goal53
Extra points attempted543
Extra points made521
Extra point percentage95.9%
Points scored1,439
Stats at Pro Football Reference

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.

Career

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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 259th overall 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] He tie Gino Cappelletti's AFL record with six field goals (on eight attempts) on November 3, 1968 against the Buffalo Bills. It was matched in 1972 but not broken until Jason Myers broke the record with seven field goals in 2018.[9][10] Turner kicked for nine points, making two of three field goals, in the AFL Championship Game win over the Oakland Raiders.[11][12] He had 10 points in the Jets' 16–7 defeat of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.[13][14] He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1968 and 1969.[15]

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.[16][17]

Turner finished his career with 304 of 488 (62%) field goals, 521 of 534 extra points and a touchdown on a 25 yard reception from a fake field goal,[18] giving him 1,439 total points.[15] 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.[19][20] He did not miss a game, playing in 228 consecutive contests.[13] 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[21] and the Utah State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.[3]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team GP Field goals Extra points Points
FGAFGMLngPctXPAXPMPct
1964NYJ 1427135048.13333100.072
1965NYJ 1434204958.83131100.091
1966NYJ 1435184551.4353497.188
1967NYJ 1432174853.1393692.387
1968NYJ 1446344973.94343100.0145
1969NYJ 1447325068.13333100.0129
1970NYJ 1435194254.32828100.085
1971DEN 1438254965.81818100.093
1972DEN 1429204969.03737100.097
1973DEN 1433225066.74040100.0106
1974DEN 1421114352.4383592.168
1975DEN 1428215375.0262388.586
1976DEN 1421154771.4393692.381
1977DEN 1419134868.4343191.270
1978DEN 1622114550.0353188.664
1979DEN 1621134961.9343294.171
Career 2284883045362.354352195.91,433

Postseason

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Year Team GP Field goals Extra points Points
FGAFGMPctXPAXPMPct
1968NYJ 28562.544100.019
1969NYJ 122100.0–––6
1977DEN 36350.077100.016
1978DEN 12150.011100.04
1979DEN 1–––11100.01
Career 8181161.11313100.046

Broadcasting career

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In 1981, Turner joined NBC Sports as a color commentary sportscaster.[22]

Personal life

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Turner's widow, Mary Kay, is from El Sobrante, California.[2] They had three daughters and lived in Arvada, Colorado.[20]

Turner died in Arvada, Colorado from heart failure on June 10, 2023, at the age of 82.[23][24]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 "THE FACE OF AN EDUCATED TOE". Sports Illustrated Vault. September 22, 1969. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  3. 1 2 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. 1 2 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. ↑ https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/fgm_single_game.htm
  10. ↑ https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-super-bowl-iii-kicker-jim-turner-dies-at-82
  11. ↑ Lange, Randy (June 13, 2023). "Jets Super Bowl III Kicker Jim Turner Dies at 82". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ "1968 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  13. 1 2 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.
  14. ↑ "Super Bowl III – New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts – January 12th, 1969". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Jim Turner Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  16. ↑ Moss, Irv (June 18, 2016). "Even loss to Cowboys didn't ruin Broncos initial trip to Super Bowl". Denver Post. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Super Bowl XII – Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys – January 15th, 1978". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  18. ↑ https://www.denverbroncos.com/video/77-throwback-highlights-jim-turner-scores-touchdown-after-fake-field-goal
  19. ↑ "NFL Career Field Goals Made Leaders Through 1979". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  20. 1 2 Walker, Bill (July 1, 1988). "A DIFFERENT KICK : Former NFL Placekicker Jim Turner Now Knocks Around a Racquetball". Los Angeles Times.
  21. ↑ "Where Are They Now: Jim Turner". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ "Broncos, Jets kicking great Jim Turner dies at 82". 9news.com. January 1, 1978. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
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