Redskins by the (Jersey) Numbers: #70 - Sam Huff

There isn’t much to discuss when it comes to #70.

Not only is there only one player of note to wear that number for the Redskins, but he’s an NFL Hall of Famer.

Sam Huff began his career with the New York Giants after being an All-American at West Virginia University. Huff played eight seasons with New York, becoming a four-time All-Pro in the process. He was the first rookie middle linebacker ever to start an NFL title game, which he helped the Giants win in 1956.

In 1964, the Giants completed a number of trades involving defensive players in an attempt to win the NFL title that had eluded them in championship game losses in 1961, 1962, and 1963. After several of these trades occurred, Giants owner Wellington Mara told Huff that he was safe.

The Giants traded him anyway.

To the Redskins.

Huff never forgot that. He made an instant impact after moving to Washington. In his first full year in DC, he made another Pro Bowl. And, when the Redskins and Giants clashed in 1966, Huff made sure to call a late timeout so that Washington could kick an otherwise-meaningless field goal to defeat his old teammates by the incredible score of 72-41.

Huff retired after the 1967 season, but was lured back for one more year in 1969 by new head coach Vince Lombardi. Huff helped the Redskins to a winning season, Washington’s first since 1955. Then, he retired for good.

Yet, Huff became a beloved figure for a new generation of fans while serving as one of the color commentators on the Redskins Radio Network, first with Frank Herzog and Sonny Jurgensen, then with Jurgensen and Larry Michael.

That first grouping, “Sonny, Sam, and Frank,” supplied the soundtrack for some of the most iconic moments in the history of the franchise, including three Super Bowl championship seasons.

In all, Huff helped broadcast Washington games from 1979 through 2012. Including his playing days (and one season as a coach), Huff was involved in nearly 40 years’ worth of Redskins history.

Unsurprisingly, Huff’s list of accolades is immense. He earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He is also in the College Football Hall of Fame and the National High School Hall of Fame, as well as the West Virginia University Hall of Fame. He was on the NFL’s All-1950s Team, and is a member of both the Giants’ Ring of Honor and the Redskins’ Ring of Fame.

I’m obligated to put a poll at the bottom of this article because the format of this series requires it. However, I’m tempted to offer only one option, because there really isn’t anyone else in Redskins’ history who deserves to occupy this spot above Sam Huff.