Longtime NFL kicker with Jets and Broncos Jim Turner dies at 82

Longtime NFL place kicker Jim Turner, who starred with the New York Jets and Denver Broncos, died Saturday, the Broncos announced. Turner was 82.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Denver Broncos Ring of Fame kicker Jim Turner," the Broncos said Monday in a statement posted to their Twitter account. "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."

According to the Broncos, Turner passed peacefully, with his family by his side.

Turner played 16 seasons (1964-79) and made two Pro Bowls, which came in 1968 and 1969 as a member of the Jets, when he led the league in both field goal conversions and attempts.

As a member of that Jets team in '68, Turner was a key figure in New York's dramatic rise to Super Bowl 3 champions over the Baltimore Colts, despite being heavy underdogs in the game. He converted one extra point and three field goals, helping build a lead that was too much for the Colts to overcome.

In 228 games in his career, Turner made 304 of 488 field goals (62.3%) with a career long of 53 yards. He converted 521 of 543 extra points (95.9%). When he retired, he was the NFL's second all-time leader for both scoring and made field goals and was the Broncos' all-time leading scorer.

Turner was inducted into Denver's Ring of Honor in 1988, becoming the first place kicker in franchise history to receive that honor. He was also selected to the Broncos Top 100 team in 2019.

From 1960-62, he was a three-time letterman as a quarterback at Utah State, where he was inducted into the program's Hall of Fame in 2013.