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| No. 15 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1938-07-11)July 11, 1938 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | May 2, 2016(2016-05-02) (aged 77) Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 189 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Akron (OH) Ellet | ||||||||||||||
| College | Cincinnati | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1960: 6th round, 61st overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| AFL draft | 1960: 1 Pick: First Selections (by theHouston Oilers)th round | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Jack Ross Lee (July 11, 1938 – May 2, 2016) was an American professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theAmerican Football League (AFL) for all ten of its seasons (1960–1969). He playedcollege football for theCincinnati Bearcats
After playing football, baseball, and basketball atEllet High School inAkron, Ohio, he playedcollege football at theUniversity of Cincinnati. In 1958–1959, Lee was theBearcats'most valuable player (MVP) and an all-conference quarterback. In 1960, he was MVP of the Senior Bowl.
In1960, he was the first quarterback ever drafted by theAmerican Football League'sHouston Oilers, where he split time withGeorge Blanda in the Oilers'1960 and1961AFL Championship seasons. In 1961, Lee threw for 457 yards against the Boston Patriots, then an AFL record, and set another league record with a 98-yard touchdown toWillard Dewveall against the Chargers. Lee and Blanda combined to throw 38 touchdowns for the Oilers in 1961. Lee played in every game for the Oilers from 1961 to 1963.
In 1964, he was the first and only player to ever be "lend-leased" to another team. He was loaned to theDenver Broncos and returned to the Oilers two years later. While in Denver, Lee threw for 370 yards in one half against the Oakland Raiders.
In 1967, Lee was traded to theKansas City Chiefs after four games. He spent most of his last three years as the back-up toLen Dawson with the Chiefs. He was part of the1969AFL andWorld Championship (Super Bowl IV) winning team.
He was one of only twenty men who played in each of the ten years of the AFL's existence.
Lee retired in 1970 after a shoulder injury. He went on to have a successful career in commercial real estate in Houston.[1]
Lee died on May 2, 2016, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.[2]