The Rams got a bargain when they took Norm Van Brocklin in the fourth round of the 1949 draft. Teams had assumed he would return to Oregon for his senior year, so he fell further than his talent warranted. He arrived in Los Angeles and joined a quarterback tandem with Bob Waterfield that powered one of the league’s most explosive offenses. The two split time early on, and in 1951 they helped the Rams win the NFL championship. Van Brocklin threw the game-winning 73-yard touchdown to Tom Fears in the title game against Cleveland.

He was a strong-armed passer who thrived throwing deep and could also handle punting duties. In 1951, he set a still-standing single-game record by throwing for 554 yards against the New York Yanks. After Waterfield retired, Van Brocklin became the full-time starter. In 1954, he led the NFL in passing yards, and he finished first in yards per attempt four times during his Rams career. He earned six Pro Bowl selections while in Los Angeles and was widely regarded as one of the better quarterbacks of the 1950s.

Van Brocklin remained productive through the mid-1950s, posting solid yardage totals even as the roster changed. He was known for his competitiveness and willingness to throw deep, which fit the Rams’ wide-open attack. By the end of the 1957 season, he had grown frustrated with the coaching situation and briefly retired.

He came back after agreeing to a trade to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played three more seasons and won another championship. With the Rams, he finished with 16,114 passing yards and 118 touchdowns in nine seasons. Those numbers were outstanding for the era and reflected a consistent presence in one of the league’s most pass-heavy offenses. 

After his playing days, he coached and later worked in broadcasting. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 1971, recognizing the quarterback who shared the job early, then took over and helped define the Rams’ passing game in the 1950s.