Jacky Lee, former Broncos QB, dies at age 77

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Former Broncos quarterback Jack "Jacky" Ross Lee died Monday in Houston after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. He was 77.

Lee attended the University of Cincinnati, where he was the team MVP, named all-conference in 1958 and 1959, and earned MVP honors at the 1960 Senior Bowl. Lee was inducted into the school's hall of fame and ring of honor in 2007.

Lee was drafted by the American Football League's Houston Oilers in 1960, becoming their first drafted quarterback in history.

He arrived in Denver in 1964, becoming the first and only "lend-lease" quarterback in professional football. As part of the deal, the Broncos sent the Oilers defensive lineman Bud McFadin, and Lee would play in Denver for two years before returning to Houston.

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_29863049/jacky-lee-former-broncos-qb-dies-at-age-77

[OrangeHoof]

The teams in the AFL, back in the early days, not only wanted to win but they also wanted the league to stay afloat. Lee was a decent QB who was stuck behind George Blanda in Houston so the Oilers "leased" him to Denver so he could play and received a favorite son from the University of Texas in return. That's how it was in the old days - you had to promote the overall product even if it meant sharing a good backup or starting a local favorite over an unheralded player who might be better in the long run.

[TXBRONC]

I had never heard of this guy before.

[FanInAZ]

This idea of "lend-lease" actually sounds like it could be a good idea. Remember 2 years ago when the Cards where so devastated by injuries at QB that they took Ryan Lindley off the Chargers' PS? What if we would've "lent" them Oz for someone who could’ve filled 1 of our holes for the remainder of the season? Both teams might have fared better & Oz might have performed better when he was called upon last season.

Back in 2007, the Cards were so desperate to find a backup QB when Kurt Warner went down with injury (HC Ken Whisenhunt only kept 2 QBs on the roster) that they signed previously failed Tim Rattay (formally with the 49ers) because he lived in Phoenix. When Matt Leinart went down with an injury the next game, he was trying to lead the Cards’ O 5 days after picking up his copy of the playbook. I don’t know off the top of my head who the Cards could have done a “lend-lease” agreement with to get a decent QB that year, but surely they could’ve found a far more capable QB then Rattay.

[OrangeHoof]

The problem with trying that now is that the QBs are too valuable and injury-prone to lease to another team. There are insurance considerations. Plus, nobody cares if the Cards have to find a fifth-string QB off the street because the NFL's reputation as a viable league will not suffer because of it.

[FanInAZ]

The problem with trying that now is that the QBs are too valuable and injury-prone to lease to another team. There are insurance considerations. Plus, nobody cares if the Cards have to find a fifth-string QB off the street because the NFL's reputation as a viable league will not suffer because of it.

Yes, QBs are valuable, especially when they are supposed to be the future of your francize that is going replace your legendary starter. However, that QB of the future can only develop so much sitting on the bench. Injury is something that has to be risked if you’re going to develop.

As far as the Cards, it’s true that no one really cared about what befell upon a perennial loser that didn’t have the foresight to have a 3rd QB on the roster in case something like what happened in 2007 happened. Nevertheless, 2 years ago was the fairytale of every perennial loser franchise in every sport. They had the best record in the league at the half way point of the season, giving fans everywhere reason to believe that could happen to their team someday. Their freefall that almost resulted in them not making the playoffs altogether rained on that fairytale. Yes, fans of the Browns want to live a fairytale, like the ones that Cubs’ fans are living right now. Anything that keeps the fairytale alive as long as possible is good for any league.