Luckman, Sid

Sid Luckman, byname of Sidney Luckman, (born November 21, 1916, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.—died July 5, 1998, North Miami Beach, Florida), quarterback in American professional gridiron football who, during his 12 seasons (1939–50) in the National Football League (NFL), directed with exceptional success the revolutionary T formation offense of the Chicago Bears. The forward-passing feats of Luckman and of his greatest adversary, quarterback Sammy Baugh of the Washington Redskins, terminated a long era in professional football in which offensive strategies were based largely on rushing (running with the ball) from the single-wing formation.

As a collegian at Columbia University in New York City, Luckman was an important symbol for second- and third-generation American Jewish immigrants. Luckman was part of a remarkable generation of Jewish American athletes in basketball and boxing as well as football who used sport as an avenue to assimilation and success.

After graduating from Columbia in 1939, Luckman became the Bears’ starting quarterback in his second NFL season, 1940. On December 8 of that year, he participated in the Bears’ 73–0 victory over Washington in the most one-sided championship game in NFL history. With Luckman as quarterback, the Bears won additional championships in 1941, 1943, and 1946. For the 1943 season, he was named Most Valuable Player in the NFL. On November 14 of that year, he set a league record by passing for seven touchdowns in a single regular-season game, and on December 26 he established an NFL championship game record by throwing five touchdown passes as the Bears defeated Washington, 41–21. In average gain per pass attempt, he ranks second all-time for both a career (8.42) and a single season (10.86 in 1943).

After his retirement from active play, Luckman became a successful businessman in Chicago and a part-time assistant coach of the Bears. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965.