John Brodie, a 1986 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee who played quarterback at Stanford from 1954-1956, passed away Jan. 23. He was 90 and was the fifth-oldest living NFF Hall of Famer at the time of his passing.
 
"John Brodie was one of the true class acts in football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "He was a fierce competitor, a true gentleman, and a Hall of Famer in every sense of the word, becoming a fixture in the world of football for decades. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones as we remember a remarkable life and career."
 
During his senior campaign, Brodie led the nation in passing and total offense. A consensus First Team All-America quarterback in 1956, he claimed honors from the American Football Coaches, Football Writers of America, International News Service and the National Enterprise Association, and he was a First Team All-Conference pick.

At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Brodie led the Cardinal all three years in total offense as a starter, and he punted in 1955 and 1956, averaging 38.5 yards and 33.6 yards per punt respectively. He passed for 3,594 career yards, setting the school record at the time. He rushed for nine touchdowns as a quarterback, which still places him fourth in the Stanford record books among QBs.
 
During his final season, he served as team co-captain with Paul Wiggin, who also was inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame in 2005. They were on teams coached by Chuck Taylor, who also played at Stanford in the 1940s and earned induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a player.
 
Brodie completed 21 passes against UCLA in 1954, had a memorable 62-yard pass play against California in 1955, and notched a stellar game against Oregon State with 19 completions.
 
A first-round draft pick (second overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 1956, he played 17 seasons as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers from 1957-73 including earning NFL MVP honors in 1970. Following the close of his professional career, John began a new one in broadcasting and golf. As a golfer, Brodie won a title on the Senior PGA Tour in 1991, and as a broadcaster he worked Super Bowl XIII for NBC Sports. He was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame, is a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame, and had his No. 12 retired by the organization.
 
Born in Menlo Park, California, on Aug. 14, 1935, Brodie played at Oakland Tech High School before arriving at Stanford.