King Corcoran James Sean Patrick " King " Corcoran ( 1943 – 2009 ) was an American football quarterback in the Atlantic Coast Football League , Seaboard Football League , World Football League , and briefly in the American Football League . Corcoran played college football , mostly as a back - up , for the Maryland Terrapins . He gained notoriety for his flamboyant dress and playboy lifestyle , which earned him the reputation of being a " poor man ' s Joe Namath " . Early life and college . Corcoran was born on July 6 , 1943 in Jersey City , New Jersey to an Irish Catholic family . His father , a truck driver , died in 1966 , after which Corcoran never saw his mother , who died in 2008 . According to Corcoran , he gained the nickname " King " as a high school senior . A driving rainstorm hit during the first half of an important game , but when it let up at half time , Corcoran appeared wearing a clean uniform and sunglasses and the manager holding his helmet . Someone from the crowd yelled , " Hail to the King , " and a melee erupted . Corcoran said , " I was ink now , I was someone . . . I went from a nothing quarterback to second - string all - state in two weeks . It was the turning point in my life . " According to " The Washington Times " , Corcoran was recruited by Notre Dame , Miami , and Maryland . Corcoran claimed students at Notre Dame did not party and those at Miami did so too much . He chose to attend Maryland because he felt it offered a balance between a social life and the opportunity to play football . He attended the University of Maryland starting in 1961 . He played as a back - up quarterback behind Dick Shiner and Alan Pastrana , but rarely started because of disagreements with the coaching staff . An injury benched Corcoran for the 1963 season . In his later life , Corcoran claimed to have led the Maryland to a 27 – 22 victory over Navy led by future Pro Football Hall of Fame r Roger Staubach in 1964 , but he did not actually play in that game . Corcoran ' s greatest college football accomplishment was leading the Maryand ' s 1961 freshman team to an undefeated season , including a 29 – 27 victory over the Navy Plebes under Staubach . At Maryland , Corcoran first developed his reputation for brashness , and he referred to himself as " The King " . " The Washington Post " described him as such : " [ H ] e was flamboyant , brash and utterly unforgettable . He was a showman , an unapologetic playboy , an egomaniacal self - promoter who traveled with his own PR agent . And , not least of all , he was a lady - killer on an epic scale . Not for nothing was he called the " poor man ' s Joe Namath , " after the Hall of Fame New York Jets quarterback and notorious skirt chaser . " Professional career . In 1967 , he spent some time in camp with the American Football League ' s Denver Broncos , but was ultimately cut from the team . According to " The Washington Post " , he was allegedly caught by the coach in bed with six women . Corcoran then signed with the Waterbury Orbits of the Atlantic Coast Football League . In 1967 , Corcoran spent time on the AFL New York Jets taxi squad , where he was described as a " poor man ' s Joe Namath " . After being cut by the New York Jets , Corcoran signed with the Lowell Giants , a farm team of the Boston Patriots . In 1968 , he got his first taste of big - time football when he played two games for the parent club . In 1969 , Corcoran signed a three - year , $ 125 , 000 contract with the Pottstown Firebirds . Corcoran would lead the Firebirds to back to back championships in 1969 and 1970 . His last NFL experience was with the Philadelphia Eagles , who released him in 1971 . Corcoran then signed with the Norfolk Neptunes , leading them to an ACFL Championship . In 1972 , Corcoran quit the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League because he did not want to serve as its third - string quarterback , joining the Chambersburg Cardinals of the Seaboard Football League later that year . In 1974 , he signed with the Philadelphia Bell of the newly formed World Football League . He led the WFL in passing touchdowns in the league ' s only full season . Corcoran completed 280 of 545 passes for 3 , 531 yards and 31 touchdown s . He also threw 24 interceptions and suffered 20 sacks . After the WFL folded , Corcoran retired from professional football in 1975 and became involved in real estate . In the 1980s , he took up polo , and despite having had no prior experience with horses , was an adequate amateur competitor . He married and had children , but they eventually moved to Florida without him . Corcoran later spent some time in Las Vegas as a singer and performed with Engelbert Humperdinck . Some of Corcoran ' s business dealings were of questionable legality , and he had been embroiled in legal troubles since the 1970s . He was convicted of fraud for selling property he did not own , and in 1997 , Corcoran spent six months in a federal prison for tax evasion . He moved frequently and spent his last years in various locations in the Baltimore - Washington metropolitan area . At the time of his death , he was living at a friend ' s house in Takoma Park , Maryland . He died of cardiac arrest on June 19 , 2009 at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park . King Corcoran was inducted into the American Football Association ' s Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame 1982 Media . An episode of the Rockford Files " The No - Cut Contract " guest starring Rob Reiner as QB " King " Sturtevant is a clear tongue and cheek reference to Corcoran . " King " is a QB playing in the lower leagues , unsuccessful womanizer , and all round character .