When Sam Huff stepped off the plane in D.C. in 1964, he didn't look like a savior. He looked like a man who had just been robbed. The New York Giants had basically dumped him—the face of their franchise, the guy on the cover of Time magazine—for a defensive end and a running back.
He was furious. Honestly, "furious" is probably putting it lightly.
Huff was the quintessential middle linebacker, a position he basically invented alongside Tom Landry. But the Sam Huff Washington Redskins era isn't just a footnote to his Hall of Fame years in New York. It was a second act defined by a massive chip on his shoulder and a total refusal to slow down.
The Trade That Shook the NFL
You have to understand the context of 1964. The Giants were the kings of the football world, even if they were starting to creak at the joints. Allie Sherman, the Giants coach, decided it was time to get younger. He traded Huff to a Washington team that had gone 3-11 the year before.
Huff didn't even show up at first. He sat out for two months. He threatened to retire. He told everyone who would listen that he wasn't going to play for a "losing organization."
Redskins coach Bill McPeak finally had to drive up to Huff's house in New York to beg. He didn't just bring a contract; he brought the No. 70 jersey. He promised Sam a no-trade clause—something basically unheard of back then—and doubled his salary to $35,000.
Money talks. But for Sam, revenge talked louder.
Impact on the Defense
The 1964 season was weird for Washington. They were trying to find an identity. Adding Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen in the same window was like injecting a dose of pure adrenaline into a dying horse.
Suddenly, the Redskins' defense wasn't a joke. By 1965, they were ranked second in the league. Huff wasn't just a player; he was a "field general" who would literally scream at teammates if they were two inches out of position. He brought that cold, calculating Tom Landry discipline to a locker room that desperately needed it.
Sam Huff Washington Redskins: The 72-Point Revenge
If you want to know how much Sam hated the Giants after they traded him, look no further than November 27, 1966.
The Redskins were absolutely destroying the Giants. It was a bloodbath. With only seconds left on the clock and Washington leading 69-41, most teams would have taken a knee.
Not Sam.
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He started screaming from the sidelines for the field goal unit to come out. He wanted blood. He wanted to humiliate Allie Sherman. Charlie Gogolak kicked a 29-yard field goal with seven seconds left just to make it 72-41.
Huff later admitted he wanted to score 100 if he could. He was that kind of guy. "Never forgive, never forget" wasn't just a motto; it was his personality.
The Lombardi Connection
Sam actually retired in 1967. He was done. His body was beat up after 150 straight games.
But then Vince Lombardi came to town in 1969.
Lombardi was the only person Sam respected enough to come back for. He returned as a player-coach at age 34. Even at that age, he snatched three interceptions and helped the Redskins secure their first winning season in 14 years. That 7-5-2 record in '69 laid the foundation for the powerhouse teams of the 1970s.
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Sadly, Lombardi died the next year. Huff hung up the cleats for good, but he never really left the building.
The Voice of a Generation
Most younger fans don't remember Sam as a player. They remember the voice.
For nearly 40 years, Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen were the soundtrack of D.C. sports. They weren't "objective" broadcasters. They were homers. They were grumpy. They were hilarious.
Huff would get genuinely upset on air if a linebacker missed a tackle. He’d complain about how the rules were changing to help the offense. He called the game like a guy who still wanted to be out there hitting people.
He didn't care about "professional" polish. He cared about the game.
What Made Him Different?
- Instincts: He could diagnose a play before the center even touched the ball.
- The 4-3 Scheme: He was the first middle linebacker to truly thrive in the "middle" of the 4-3 defense, a shift from the old 5-2.
- Durability: Before his ankle gave out in '67, the man was made of iron.
- The "Violent World": He was the subject of the first real "mic’ed up" special on CBS, narrated by Walter Cronkite. It showed fans that football was a collision sport, not just a running game.
The Legacy of No. 70
Sam Huff died in 2021, but you still see his jersey at FedEx Field (or whatever they’re calling the stadium this week). He was a bridge between the old-school, leather-helmet era and the modern NFL.
He proved that a defensive player could be a superstar.
He wasn't just a New York legend who happened to play in Washington. He was the man who taught Washington how to win again. He turned a "sorry" franchise into a respectable one through sheer force of will and a lot of yelling.
If you’re looking to truly understand his impact, start by watching old film of his 1969 season under Lombardi. Even as a player-coach, his lateral movement and ability to shed blocks were clinic-level. For those wanting to dive deeper into the history, the Pro Football Hall of Fame archives in Canton hold the original "Violent World" footage—it’s worth a watch just to hear the sound of the hits.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the Washington Commanders Ring of Fame at the stadium to see his name alongside Jurgensen.
- Look up the "72-41" game highlights on YouTube to see Sam's reaction on the sidelines.
- Read The Violent World of Sam Huff if you can find a vintage copy; it's the best look at the psychology of a 60s linebacker.