Adrian Burk

Adrian Burk

Burk on a 1950 Bowman football card
No. 68, 10
Position:	Quarterback Punter
Personal information
Born:	(1927-12-14)December 14, 1927 Mexia, Texas, U.S.
Died:	July 28, 2003(2003-07-28) (aged 75) Henderson, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Gaston (Joinerville, Texas)
College:	Baylor
NFL draft:	1950 / round: 1 / pick: 2
Career history
Baltimore Colts (1950) Philadelphia Eagles (1951–1956)
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (1954, 1955) NFL passing touchdowns leader (1954) 2× NFL punting yards leader (1950, 1956) First-team All-SWC (1949) NFL record Most touchdown passes in a game: 7 (tied)
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts: 1,079 Passing completions: 500 Completion percentage: 46.3% TD–INT: 61–89 Passing yards: 7,001 Passer rating: 52.2 Punting yards: 19,365 Punting average: 40.9 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Adrian Matthew Burk (December 14, 1927 – July 28, 2003) was an American football quarterback and punter who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles. After his playing career, he served as an official.

Playing career

Burk played college football at Baylor University and was drafted in the first round of the 1950 NFL draft. Burk is one of eight NFL quarterbacks (Sid Luckman, George Blanda, Joe Kapp, Y. A. Tittle, Peyton Manning, Nick Foles, and Drew Brees) who share the record of seven touchdown passes in one regular season game. He threw seven touchdown passes on October 17, 1954, when the Eagles won 49–21 over the Washington Redskins. Three of his touchdown passes were to Eagles end Pete Pihos.

Burk graduated from Baylor Law School and became general counsel to the Houston Oilers.

Officiating career

Burk later worked as an NFL official as a back judge (now field judge), wearing uniform number 63. He worked the game that saw Joe Kapp of the Minnesota Vikings tie his record for seven touchdown passes in one game in 1969 vs. the Baltimore Colts. Burk was also the back judge in the famous 1972 playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers. That game, played in Pittsburgh, featured the play that came to be called the "Immaculate Reception". From his position as back judge, Burk was the first of the officials to signal a touchdown.

During a 1973 game between the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos, Bears coach Abe Gibron can be heard chewing out Burk throughout the contest. Gibron was miked for the game by NFL Films, and the footage was released by NFL Films Executive Director Steve Sabol in 2001.