Greg Landry, the quarterback for the Detroit Lions, drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders on November 26, 1970, in Detroit, Michigan, during an NFL game at Tiger Stadium. Through social media, the Lions announced Landry’s passing at the age of 77. Focus on Sport/Getty Images provided the image.Getty Photographs
The Detroit Lions announced the passing of former Pro Bowl quarterback Greg Landry. He was seventy-seven.
The reason of death was not disclosed.
The Lions posted on X, saying, “We join the NFL community in mourning the loss of former Lions quarterback and coach Greg Landry.”
From 1968 to 1981, Landry participated in 14 NFL seasons, spending his first 11 with the Lions and his final three with the Baltimore Colts. After beginning for the Lions in 1971, he threw for 2,237 yards, 16 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a league-high 16.4 average yards per completion. He was also chosen to the NFL Pro Bowl. Additionally, he received nine votes for the Associated Press Most Valuable Player title.As the starting quarterback for the Lions in 1971 and 1972, Landry guided the team to a 15-11-2 record. However, in the three seasons that followed, he only made 13 starts. In 1976, Landry was awarded the Pro Football Writers Association Comeback Player of the Year after starting 12 of 14 games and throwing for 2,191 yards with 17 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.In 1979, after playing for the Lions for 11 seasons, Landry was moved to Baltimore, where he started one season as the starting quarterback and the other two as a backup.
After spending two seasons in the USFL in 1982 and 1983, Landry returned to the NFL in 1984 to start one game for the Chicago Bears under Mike Ditka. In his final game, he helped the team defeat the rival Lions 30–13. Over the course of his 15-year NFL career, Landry completed 55.5 percent of his passes for 16,052 yards, 98 touchdowns, and 103 interceptions.
After retiring from the NFL for the first time in 1985, Landry joined the Cleveland Browns as head coach Marty Schottenheimer’s quarterbacks coach. In addition, he was a coach at the University of Illinois, the Bears, and the Lions.
