MONROE, Ga. -- Football great Norm Van Brocklin, who quarterbacked 12 years in the pros and served as coach for the Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons, died Monday of a massive heart attack. He was 57.
Van Brocklin was rushed from his farm in Social Circle, 35 miles east of Atlanta, to Walton County Hospital about early Monday. He was pronounced dead on arrival at 1:05 a.m.
Walton County Coroner Joyce Rowe said Van Brocklin died of a massive heart attack. He had undergone brain surgery in 1978 and been in poor health in recent years.
Nicknamed 'The Dutchman,' Van Brocklin left pro football when he was fired by the Falcons midway through the 1974 season. He served as an assistant to Georgia Tech Coach Pepper Rodgers in 1978-79 after recovering from brain surgery, and ran a pecan farm and mail order business the last years of his life.
The Pro Hall of Famer served in the Navy during World War II before going on to become an All-America quarterback at the University of Oregon in 1948. His pro career spanned nine seasons as quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams in 1949-1957, and the last three with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In his pro career, Van Brocklin led the NFL in passing two of his first four years in Los Angeles and threw for an all-time professional record of 554 yards in a game against the New York Yanks in 1951.
Regarded as one of pro football's most colorful players, he passed for 23,611 yards and 173 touchdowns and was the NFL passing leader three times and its punting leader twice. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.
In 1960 Van Brocklin, then 34, announced his retirement.
He became coach of the Vikings the next year and after being replaced by Bud Grant at the end of the 1966 season, spent the next season as a pro football television commentator.
Three games into the 1968 season, Van Brocklin succeeded Norb Hecker as coach of the Falcons and compiled a 37-49-3 record in Atlanta for a career total of 66-100-7.
Van Brocklin is survived by his wife, Gloria, six children and six grandchildren.
