When he retired, he was the Rams' all-time passing leader with 22,223 yards and 154 touchdowns (1,705 com./3,313 att.) and the Eagles' all-time passing leader with 7,221 yards and 45 touchdowns (661 com./1,185 att.). He led the NFL with 3,219 yards and 23 touchdown passes in 1973, earning him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. The following year, he helped the Eagles win the NFC East for the first time since 1949. Gabriel died on January 26, 1999, at the age of 59 after suffering from bone cancer. His death came just three days after his 60th birthday. He played in only nine games during his final season with the Eagles, but still managed to pass for 2,922 yards with 21 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He also rushed for four scores that season. The Rams drafted Gabriel in 1969 after he ended his Hall of Fame career with the Eagles. He spent two seasons with Los Angeles before retiring as a Ram in 1971. Gabriel is one of only six players who has ever won the Heisman Trophy, the National Football League MVP Award, and the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award. The others are Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Tom Brady.