George Mira, a trailblazing college quarterback who went on to play seven seasons in the NFL, died Tuesday, the University of Miami confirmed. He was 83.
Mira was a two-time All-American for the Hurricanes who led the nation in total offense in 1963. His number 10 was eventually retired by the school.
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Mira’s professional football journey began when he was drafted in the second round, 15th overall, of the 1964 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
From 1964-71 with the 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins, Mira carved out a career as a versatile and resilient backup quarterback during the early days of the NFL’s Super Bowl era.
In 1964, as a rookie with the 49ers, Mira threw a 79-yard scoring pass to All-Pro receiver Dave Parks, establishing a franchise rookie record. More than his throwing arm, Mira was known for his scrambling ability and willingness to run when the pocket broke down, adding a layer of unpredictability whenever he entered the game.
Mira started only six games in his five seasons in San Francisco, but appeared in 47 games in all during that span. He completed 112 of 240 pass attempts (46.7 percent) for 1,711 yards and 17 touchdowns. Mira also ran 41 times for 372 yards as a 49er.
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Mira did earn NFL offensive player of the week honors once in 1966, but mostly was known as a backup to two of the great quarterbacks of his era – John Brodie in San Francisco and Bob Griese during his lone season in Miami (1971). He did not take the field in Super Bowl VI in 1972, which the Dolphins lost to the Dallas Cowboys.
After his NFL tenure, Mira extended his career across the border and into a nascent World Football League. He played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and in the WFL with the Montreal Alouettes, Birmingham Americans and Jacksonville Express, finishing his pro career as a player-coach with the Toronto Argonauts in 1977.
Mira was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1973. He is also a member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
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