NFL linebacker legend Sam Huff dies at 87

Agency Report

A feared linebacker who personified the rugged and sometimes violent world of American pro football, Sam Huff, died Saturday in a Virginia hospital.

He was 87.

Huff's daughter, Catherine, told The New York Times that the NFL Hall of Famer learned in 2013 that he had dementia.

Huff's career lasted 13 seasons, playing for the New York Giants from 1956-63.

He then joined the Washington NFL team in 1964 before finishing up with them in 1969.

"We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Huff," Washington team owners Dan and Tanya Snyder said in a news release.

"Anyone who knew Sam knew what an amazing person he was. He was an iconic player and broadcaster for the franchise for over 40 years."

Huff won six NFL championships with the Giants and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times.

He reached a stature in American gridiron that few achieved as his presence on the field demanded both respect and fear from opponents.

He appeared on the cover of Time magazine under the headline "A Man's Game", and in a CBS documentary titled "The Violent World of Sam Huff".

A television microphone once caught Huff telling a wide-eyed Chicago Bears' opponent that got in his crosshairs; "You do that again, you'll get a broken nose. Don't hit me on the chin with your elbow. I'm not going to warn you no more."

Huff once said about his rugged playing style, "I never let up on anybody. I don't think I ever quit on a play. If you had the football, I was going to hit you, and when I hit you, I tried to hit you hard enough to hurt you. That's the way the game should be played."

In 168 NFL games, Huff had 30 career interceptions, along with 17 fumble recoveries and two touchdowns.