Pro Football Hall Of Fame DE Passes Away At 77

Hall of Fame defensive end Claude Humphrey.
Hall of Fame defensive end Claude Humphrey.

Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Claude Humphrey has passed away at the age of 77.

The former Atlanta Falcons/Philadelphia Eagles superstar died on Friday night, according to a family member.

Following a standout collegiate career at Tennessee State, Humphrey was selected with the third overall pick in the 1968 AFL-NFL Draft. His impact on the Falcons’ defensive unit was immediate — logging 11.5 sacks through 14 games in his first season and earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. From then on, he went on to collect 99.5 sacks through 10 years with the Atlanta franchise.

Closing out his professional career with three seasons in Philadelphia (including a 1980 Super Bowl run under head coach Dick Vermeil), Humphrey solidified himself as the league’s 24th leader in career sacks with 130.0. Along the way, he amassed six Pro-Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors.

“I was aggressive, very aggressive. I tried to play the game to the point where when I walked off the field, there was nothing that I didn’t cover. I tried to play all out. I didn’t take any prisoners. I just tried to do my job,” Humphrey said during his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement speech in 2014.

Humphrey was also elected to the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Claude Humphrey’s impact on the game of football and the world around him was evidenced by the public reaction to his passing.

Our thoughts are with the Humphrey family through this difficult time.

The post Pro Football Hall Of Fame DE Passes Away At 77 appeared first on The Spun.

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