Sam Huff: Football player| NFL| News| Stats| Death| Hall of Fame

 Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Huff, who revolutionized the linebacker position during the 1950s and 1960s with the New York Giants. Today we will discuss about Sam Huff: Football player| NFL| News| Stats| Death| Hall of Fame

Sam Huff: Football player| NFL| News| Stats| Death| Hall of Fame

Robert Lee “Sam” Huff Sr. (October 4, 1934 – November 13, 2021) was a professional American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. He played college football for West Virginia University. He is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, of which he became a member in 1982.

Football player

Huff was born and raised in Edna, West Virginia at the No. 9 coal mining camp[1],[2] the fourth of six children of Oral and Katherine Huff, living with his family in a small rowhouse in which there was no running water. .[3] Huff grew up during the Great Depression, while his father and his two brothers worked in loading bogies of coal mines for consolidated mining.[4]

Huff attended and played high school football at the now-closed Farmington High School, where he was both an offensive and defensive lineman. [5] While he was there, Huff helped lead the team to an undefeated season in 1951. [6] He earned All-State honors in 1952 and was named to the first-team All-Mason Dixon Conference.

NFL

Huff was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1956 NFL Draft. At training camp, head coach Jim Lee Howell was having difficulty coming up with a position for Huff. [10] Frustrated, Huff left the camp, but was stopped at the airport by assistant (offensive) coach Vince Lombardi, who escorted him back to the camp.

Then, defensive coordinator Tom Landry came up with a new 4-3 defensive plan that he thought Huff would fit in perfectly. [4] [11] The Giants changed him from the line behind Ray Beck to middle linebacker. Huff liked this position because he could keep his head up and use his brilliant peripheral vision to see the entire field. [3] On October 7, 1956, in a game against the Chicago Cardinals, Beck was injured. and Huff was drafted into his first professional game. He then helped the Giants win five games in a row, [4] and finished with an 8–3–1 record, earning them the Eastern Conference title. [3] New York won the 1956 NFL Championship Game[4] and Huff became the first rookie middle linebacker to start an NFL championship game

News

Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Huff, who revolutionized the linebacker position with the New York Giants and Washington during the 1950s and 1960s, died Saturday, his daughter Katherine Huff Myers told the Washington Post.

Huff was 87 years old and had been suffering from dementia since 2013.

Born and raised in a West Virginia coal mining camp, Huff attended West Virginia University, where he starred on the Mountaineers’ football team as an All-American offensive lineman and as a catcher for the baseball team.

The Giants drafted him in the third round in 1956 (he also struck a pro baseball deal with Cleveland) and was deemed a “tweener” without a real position. Legend has it that Vince Lombardi convinced Huff to stay out of his first training camp and the Giants eventually found a home for him at the middle linebacker. He took the position during his rookie season and the Giants won the NFL Championship that year.

Stats

Huff attended and played college football for West Virginia University, where he majored in physical education. [7] He debuted as a sophomore, then as a tackle in his next two years, after winning a letter as a backup guard during his freshman season. He was a four-year letterman and helped lead West Virginia to a combined four-year mark of 31-7 and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

In 1955, Huff was voted an All-American[8] and served as co-captain in both the East–West Shrine game and the Senior Bowl. [9] Huff was recognized as a first-team academic for his outstanding efforts in the classroom. Was named All-American.

Edit Professional Careers
New York Giants (1956–1963)
Huff was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1956 NFL Draft. At training camp, head coach Jim Lee Howell was having difficulty coming up with a position for Huff. [10] Frustrated, Huff left the camp, but was stopped at the airport by assistant (offensive) coach Vince Lombardi, who escorted him back to the camp.

Then, defensive coordinator Tom Landry came up with a new 4-3 defensive plan that he thought Huff would fit in perfectly. [4] [11] The Giants changed him from the line behind Ray Beck to middle linebacker. Huff liked this position because he could keep his head up and use his brilliant peripheral vision to see the entire field. [3] On October 7, 1956, in a game against the Chicago Cardinals, Beck was injured. and Huff was drafted into his first professional game. He then helped the Giants win five games in a row, [4] and finished with an 8–3–1 record, earning them the Eastern Conference title. [3] New York won the 1956 NFL Championship Game[4] and Huff became the first rookie middle linebacker to start an NFL championship game.

Death

Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Washington and New York veteran linebacker Sam Huff died Saturday, Washington football team owner Daniel Snyder said in a statement.

Huff was 87 years old.

“Anyone who knew Sam knew what an amazing person he was,” Washington owners Danielle and Tanya Snyder said in a statement on the team’s Twitter account. “He was an iconic player and broadcaster for the franchise for more than 40 years and was a great friend of our family.”

Huff made five Pro Bowls in a 13-year career, won the NFL title with the New York Giants in 1956, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

The owners’ statement read, “He represented the franchise with respect and dignity on the field and booth and was loved by our fans. Tanya and I would like to express our deepest condolences to all of Sam’s family and friends during this time.” Huh.” ,

New York Giants team president John Mara also paid tribute to the former player, calling Huff “one of the greatest legends of all time”.

“He was the heart and soul of our rescue in his era,” Mara wrote in a statement posted on Twitter. “He almost single-handedly effected the first chants of ‘protect, protect’ at Yankee Stadium.”

Hall of Fame

The Washington Post reported that Huff was diagnosed with dementia in 2013.

Huff’s career began with New York in 1956, and he made his mark on the defensive for eight seasons before ending his career in Washington from 1964 to 1969. Huff made five Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection during the course twice. Out of his 13 seasons in the NFL. He also played in six NFL title games, winning one with the Giants in 1956.

“Sam was one of the greatest legends of all time,” Giants owner John Mara said in a statement. “He was the heart and soul of our defense in his era. He almost single-handedly effected the first chants of ‘protect, protect’ at Yankee Stadium.”

Huff, who recorded at least one interception each season and finished his career with 30, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Sam Huff. He was an outstanding player on the gridiron and a great man off the field as well,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family during this difficult time. The Hall of Fame will always protect his legacy. The Hall of Fame flag will be flown at half-staff in Sam’s memory.”

Huff’s success as a defender brought him particular fame. He graced the cover of Time magazine at the age of 24 and was featured in the 1960 TV special, “The Violent World of Sam Huff”.

Following his playing career, Huff spent 38 years as a Washington radio analyst (1975–2012)