Sam Huff, a five-time Professional Bowl choice who was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1982, died Saturday in Winchester, Va. He was 87.
Huff, a feared center linebacker whose NFL profession spanned 13 seasons, performed for the New York Giants from 1956-63 and the Washington franchise from 1964-67 and once more in 1969.
He died in a hospital, The New York Occasions reported. His daughter, Catherine Huff Myers, informed the newspaper her father discovered he had dementia in 2013.
Huff performed in six NFL championship video games in his eight seasons with the Giants. He was named a first-team All-Professional twice, in 1958 and 1959.
“We’re deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and Washington Ring of Fame inductee Sam Huff,” learn an announcement from Washington workforce homeowners Dan and Tanya Snyder on Saturday. “Anybody who knew Sam knew what an incredible individual he was. He was an iconic participant and broadcaster for the franchise for over 40 years and was an awesome buddy to our household. He represented the franchise with honor and respect on the sphere and within the sales space and was beloved by our followers.”
Huff was recalled for his battles with two of the NFL’s best fullbacks — Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns and Jim Taylor of the Inexperienced Bay Packers. However Huff additionally had 30 profession interceptions, together with 17 fumble recoveries and* even two touchdowns. He performed in 168 NFL video games, beginning 159.
On Nov. 30, 1959, almost a yr after the sudden-death NFL title recreation between the Giants and Baltimore Colts despatched the recognition of professional soccer skyrocketing, Time journal put Huff’s portrait on its cowl. He was the spotlight of a narrative titled “A Man’s Sport,” an article about professional soccer.
The world received a better have a look at Huff’s toughness when Walter Cronkite narrated the CBS documentary “The Violent World of Sam Huff” in October 1960. Huff had a microphone on his shoulder pads for a preseason recreation in opposition to the Chicago Bears the previous August.
Viewers watched and listened to Huff name alerts within the huddle; he then threatened a Bears receiver he thought was making the most of him.
“You try this once more, you will get a damaged nostril,” Huff mentioned. “Do not hit me on the chin together with your elbow. I am not going to warn you no extra.”
In a 2002 interview for the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame, Huff talked about his toughness as a participant.
“I by no means let up on anyone,” he mentioned. “I do not suppose I ever give up on a play. In the event you had the soccer, I used to be going to hit you, and once I hit you, I attempted to hit you exhausting sufficient to harm you. That is the way in which the sport ought to be performed.”
Huff was an All-American at West Virginia as a guard and deal with on offence and defence. The Giants selected him within the third spherical of the 1956 NFL Draft.
In reshaping a veteran workforce after the 1963 season, the Giants traded Huff to Washington for working again Dick James and defensive finish Andy Stynchula. Huff was angered by the commerce.
Huff performed for Washington for the following 4 seasons, then retired, then returned for a final season as a participant and linebackers coach in 1969, when Vince Lombardi was named Washington’s head coach.
Huff later turned a radio announcer for Washington video games.
