Jim Turner, a veteran NFL kicker who won a Super Bowl with the New York Jets, died this past weekend. He was 82 years old. The family said that Turner died at his home in Denver on Saturday, but the cause of death was not revealed. Turner played for the Jets from 1964-1970 and the Broncos from 1971-1979.ย
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Denver Broncos Ring of Fame kicker Jim Turner,” the Broncos said in a statement. “Retiring as the second-leading scorer in NFL history, Jim was instrumental in helping establish the Broncos’ winning tradition in the 1970s as a key member of our first Super Bowl team. While his competitive spirit and reliability defined him as a player, Jim’s dedicated mentorship and support of youth following his career will leave a lasting legacy within our community. Our hearts go out to Jim’s wife, Mary Kay; daughters Lisa, Chris and Alison; and the entire Turner family.”
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Turner was signed with the Jets as a free agent in 1964 after being drafted by Washington in 1963. He posted a then-record 145 points in 1968 with 34 field goals. In the postseason, Turner scored 10 points in the Jets’ 16-7 win over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1968 and 1969.ย
Following the 1970 season, the Jets traded Turner to the Broncos. He helped the team reach Super Bowl XII during the 1977 season and scored four points in the Broncos’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In his nine seasons with Denver, Turner made 151 field goals and scored 742 points, which ranks third on the all-time list behind Brandon McManus and Jason Elam. Turner was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1988.ย
“Jim was one of the last straight-ahead kickers in pro football and one of the most productive and accurate kickers,” Frank Ramos, the Jets’ longtime public relations director, said. “He was a clutch kicker, which was borne out in the Super Bowl, and he showed his ability to win games by kicking in Shea, probably the most difficult stadium to kick in because of the strong, swirling winds.”
Following his football career, Turner worked as a commentator for NBC Sports as a radio talk show host for KNUS and KOA radio in Denver. He continued to live in the Denver area and would be active in cycling, racquetball, woodworking, landscaping, and fishing in Whitefish, Montana, according to his family. Turner played college football at Utah State where he also was a quarterback. He was from Crockett, California and graduated from John Swett High School in 1959.ย
