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
Player stats atPFR

Adrian Matthew Burk(December 14, 1927 – July 28, 2003) was anAmerican footballquarterbackandpunterwho played in theNational Football League(NFL) for theBaltimore Coltsand thePhiladelphia Eagles.After his playing career, he served as anofficial.

Playing career

Burk playedcollege footballatBaylor Universityand was drafted in the first round of the1950 NFL draft.Burk is one of eight NFL quarterbacks (Sid Luckman,George Blanda,Joe Kapp,Y. A. Tittle,Peyton Manning,Nick Foles,andDrew Brees) who share the record ofseven touchdown passes in one regular season game.He threw seven touchdown passes on October 17, 1954, when the Eagles won 49–21 over theWashington Redskins.Three of his touchdown passes were to EaglesendPete Pihos.

Burk graduated fromBaylor Law Schooland became general counsel to theHouston 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 sawJoe Kappof theMinnesota Vikingstie his record for seven touchdown passes in one game in 1969 vs. theBaltimore 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 theChicago BearsandDenver Broncos,Bears coachAbe Gibroncan be heard chewing out Burk throughout the contest. Gibron was miked for the game byNFL Films,and the footage was released by NFL Films Executive DirectorSteve Sabolin 2001.