LOGAN, Utah, June 13, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Former Utah State star and two-time Super Bowl-winning kicker Jim Turner died Saturday at age 82, university officials announced.
Turner, a quarterback and kicker at USU from 1960-62, helped the Aggies to back-to-back Skyline Conference championships in 1960 and 1961. Those title-winning teams combined to finish 18-3-1 overall, including 9-1-1 in conference play.
Utah State also made two bowl appearances during Turner’s collegiate career, playing in the Sun Bowl in 1960 and the Gotham Bowl in 1961.
Turner’s teams combined for a 26-5-1 record at USU, the most wins over a three-year period in school history. He was inducted into the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
Turner was selected by Washington in the 1963 NFL Draft before spending seven seasons with the New York Jets from 1964-70, including a 16-7 victory over Baltimore in Super Bowl III. He kicked three field goals in the victory.
Turner finished his career with the Denver Broncos, playing every game over nine seasons from 1971-79 — including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1978. He was the Broncos’ all-time leading scorer when he retired in 1979.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Denver Broncos Ring of Fame kicker Jim Turner,” the Broncos said in a statement Tuesday. “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.”
As a tribute to Turner, Broncos coach Sean Payton had his kickers attempt straight-on field goals from 9 yards deep in the end zone.
“He was a kicker for us [in] our first Super Bowl, and then he did something that will never be done again: He kicked a 9-yard field goal,” Payton told reporters Tuesday. “Obviously, the uprights were at the goal line then. … But that was just for them to recognize a little bit of the history here. That’s a member of our Ring of Fame.”
Turner was inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988, becoming the first kicker in team history to earn the honor. He still ranks third in franchise history in career field goals and fifth in career field-goal percentage. He also caught a touchdown pass against the Raiders in 1977.
Following his NFL career, Turner worked with the National Football Foundation on its Play It Smart campaign. The program used sports to help academic, personal and career development in at-risk students at nearly 150 schools across the United States.
