A couple of us here have compared his on the field play to another hugely underrated quarterback. Many said he couldn't throw worth a damn either.
A native of Azusa, California, Kilmer played baseball, football and basketball during his athletic career at Citrus High School in California, scoring more than 1,500 points in the latter sport while earning All-American honors.
Kilmer then competed in football for one year at Citrus Junior College where he scored six touchdowns and threw for 15 more, with a broken foot limiting his playing time for the Citrus basketball team.
He then went on to play three seasons at UCLA, closing out his career with an outstanding season in 1960 that helped him finish fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. During that stellar campaign, he threw for over 1,000 yards, ran for over 800, scored eight touchdowns and served as the team's punter.
After the conclusion of a UCLA career that saw him finish among the top five in school history for passing and rushing yards, as well as total offense, Kilmer played in the 1961 College All-Star Game, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors.
Drafted by the 49ers, he saw action primarily at running back during his rookie season, rushing for 509 yards and ten touchdowns, with his top performance coming against the expansion Minnesota Vikings on October 15 when he rushed for four touchdowns.
Kilmer led the Redskins to an NFC-best 11-3 record, while also leading the NFL in touchdown passes (19) and passer rating (84.8). After the season, Washington advanced to their first Super Bowl, which they lost, 14-7, to the unbeaten Miami Dolphins (16-0). The loss didn't dampen Kilmer's individual recognition as he was named to the Pro Bowl and the All-NFC Team.