Sam Huff
Linebacker who battled Jim Brown and became the first defensive player to gain widespread NFL prominence.
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff (October 4, 1934 – November 13, 2021) was an American professional football player whose frequent battles against Cleveland Browns star fullback Jim Brown made him the first member of the defense to gain widespread prominence in the National Football League. He starred for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins in the pro ranks and the West Virginia Mountaineers in college. The one-time NFL champion, two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1982).
- Super Bowl Appearance
- None (retired before Super Bowl era)
- Pro Bowls
- 5 selections (1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964)
- All-Pro Selections
- 2 First-Team (1958, 1959), 4 Second-Team (1957, 1960, 1961, 1964)
- Career Years with Washington
- 1964–1968 (also 1969)
Lore & Background
Huff was born and grew up in the No. 9 coal mining camp in Edna, West Virginia. He attended and played high school football at Farmington High School, then played college football at West Virginia University. He was drafted in the 30th round (pick 354) of the 1956 NFL draft by the New York Giants. He played for the Giants from 1956 to 1963, winning the 1956 NFL Championship. He was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1964 and played there until retiring in 1968. He came out of retirement in 1969 to play for the Redskins under coach Vince Lombardi, then retired for good after 14 seasons. He spent one season coaching the Redskins' linebackers in 1970.
In Their Own Story
The air inside Griffith Stadium was thick with autumn chill as Huff stepped onto the gridiron, his helmet gleaming under the floodlights. He clapped his hands, the sound sharp against the roar of the crowd, barking out adjustments to his linebackers before the snap. 'They're coming left! Watch the slant!' he shouted, his voice cutting through the noise with absolute authority. As the quarterback dropped back, Huff exploded off the line, a blur of burgundy and gold, reading the play like an open book. He dove into the pocket, not just to tackle, but to dictate the flow of the game itself.
Reader's Guide
Sam Huff was a middle linebacker for the New York Giants (1956–1963) and Washington Redskins (1964–1968, plus 1969). He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection (four with the Giants, one unspecified with Washington) and was named MVP of the 1961 Pro Bowl. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and the College Football Hall of Fame. After playing, he worked as a textiles sales representative, then for Marriott Corporation, and later became a radio color commentator for the Giants and then the Redskins until 2012.
Did You Know?
- Huff was the first NFL player to be featured on the cover of Time magazine (November 30, 1959).
- He was the subject of a 1960 CBS television special titled 'The Violent World of Sam Huff'.
- Huff ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970 but lost in the Democratic primary.
- He began breeding thoroughbred racehorses in 1986 at Sporting Life Farm in Middleburg, Virginia.
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