Penn State Football: 30 greatest players of all-time

When it comes to quarterbacks in Penn State history, few have had the kind of impact that Todd Blackledge had when he was the starter under center. The son of a former offensive coordinator at the college level, Blackledge was the kind of leader on the football field that does not come around ever so often. Blackledge led the Nittany Lions during one of the best seasons in school history.

A three-year starter for Penn State, Blackledge was the signal-caller that led the way in 1982, when the Nittany Lions won their first national championship. During his time at the school, Blackledge put together an incredible 31-5 record as the team’s starting quarterback. He capped off his career by winning the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the best quarterback in college football.

The thing that was impressive about Blackledge was that he got better every year. After leading the Nittany Lions to the national title in 1982, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to bank on him as their franchise quarterback.

The Chiefs selected Blackledge in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, making him the seventh overall selection, although he did not have the kind of success at the NFL level that he did in college.

Blackledge played for the Chiefs from 1983-87, and then finished out his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a strange end to his career, considering how well he played in all those Penn State-Pitt rivalry games. While he never became that franchise quarterback in the NFL, he certainly is one of the best signal callers Penn State has ever seen.