According to 930 WFMD on Monday, former National Football League Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff of Edna Gas, West Virginia, passed away on Saturday at the age of 87. Huff, who had been suffering from dementia for eight years, played 13 seasons in the NFL from 1956 to 1969 with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. He was with the Giants from 1956 to 1963, and then with the Redskins from 1964 to 1969.
For four straight years from 1958 to 1961 with the Giants, Huff was selected to the Pro Bowl. He was then selected to the Pro Bowl a fifth time in his career with Washington in 1964. A middle linebacker throughout his career, Huff had 30 interceptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns, along with 17 fumble recoveries for 20 yards and two touchdowns.
Huff’s touchdowns from fumble recoveries came with the Giants. They came in a 21-16 Giants win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 25, 1959, and in a 24-9 Giants win over the St. Louis Cardinals on October 8, 1961.
The first interception for a touchdown for Huff came with the Giants and the second came with the Redskins. Interestingly, the pick sixes came in the final year that Huff played for each team. On December 8, 1963, Huff had a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 44-14 Giants win over the Redskins.
Washington obviously liked what they saw, as they signed Huff to a contract the following season, $16,000 more dollars than what he would have made in New York. On November 9, 1969, Huff scored his fourth and final touchdown in his career from an 18-yard interception in a 28-28 Washington tie with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 1982, Huff was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also a NFL champion in his rookie season with the Giants in 1956, and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team in the 1950s.
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