George Mira Sr., a two-time All-American quarterback at the University of Miami who also played seven seasons in the NFL, died on Tuesday. He was 83.

Mira, who died in Miami, was nicknamed “The Matador” for his elusiveness at quarterback. He was arguably the patriarch of “Quarterback U,” which included later Miami standout signal-callers Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde in the 1980s and more recently, Cam Ward and Carson Beck.

“The University of Miami football program mourns the passing of legendary quarterback George Mira Sr., who played for the Canes from 1961-63. ‘The Matador’ was a two-time All-American who led the nation in total offense in 1963,” the university said in a statement. “He is a member of the Ring of Honor and is one of five UM players to have his jersey retired. We pass along our sincerest condolences to the Mira family.”

Mira led the Hurricanes to victory in the 1961 Liberty Bowl and was the first Miami player to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He graced the cover for the magazine’s 1963 college football preview.

Mira’s No. 10 was retired by the university; he finished fifth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1962 and was 10th the following season.

Mira was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1964 NFL draft. He played five seasons in San Francisco, mostly in a backup role. Mira played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969 and ended his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins in 1971.

Mira was also involved in one of the NFL’s most bizarre plays. In an October 1964 game, Mira threw a pass to 49ers teammate Billy Kilmer, who fumbled the ball. The loose pigskin was picked up by Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall, who sprinted 66 yards in the wrong direction to give the 49ers a safety. Minnesota would hold on to win the game, 27-22.

Mira also played in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts.

He played for Birmingham of the World Football League in 1974, winning MVP honors in the league’s only championship game as the Americans edged the Florida Blazers 22-21 to win the World Bowl.

A native of Key West, Florida, Mira was born on Jan. 11, 1942.

He helped lead Key West High School to consecutive Class A baseball titles in 1958 and 1959. He was also an All-South Gold Coast all-conference selection at quarterback for the Conchs. He threw for 13 touchdowns and kicked 26 extra points to earn first-team Little All-State honors as Key West went 9-1-1 in 1959.

Mira is a member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. His son, George Mira Jr., played for the Miami Dolphins during the 1980s.

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