2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 156
Celebrating the life of Christian A. Jurgensen III.
Agreed to by the Senate, March 5, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
WHEREAS, Christian A. Jurgensen III, a former quarterback for the Washington Commanders, who was respected throughout the National Football League as one of the greatest passers in the game, died on February 6, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Christian Jurgensen grew up in North Carolina, where he earned the nickname “Sonny” from his parents for his sunny disposition; he began learning to play football by playing catch with his mother in the front yard and was a talented multisport athlete in high school; and
WHEREAS, Sonny Jurgensen attended Duke University on an athletic scholarship and joined the football team as a defensive back and backup quarterback, then took over as starting quarterback for his junior and senior seasons; and
WHEREAS, in 1957, Sonny Jurgensen was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the National Football League (NFL) Draft; he served as a backup quarterback for three years, including during the 1960 season when Philadelphia won the NFL Championship, the precursor to the Super Bowl; and
WHEREAS, during his first season as starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, Sonny Jurgensen passed for 3,723 yards, a new NFL record, and 32 touchdowns, which matched the league record at the time; and