Atlanta Falcons Defensive End and Hall Of Famer Claude Humphrey passed away unexpectedly on Friday night in Atalanta. As of now, no specific reason for death has come up. As expected, the NFL community is devastated with the loss of this legend as condolences have been pouring in.
After news broke out of Humphrey’s demise, the Hall of Fame association immediately released a statement. The statement, penned by president Jim Porter was a fitting tribute to the enigma, and Humphrey was paid due respect to his on-field and off-field persona.
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“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Claude Humphrey,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “Known as a hard worker and a reliable teammate, Humphrey was always willing to help the team out wherever needed and knew success was achieved collectively. His humble spirit guided him on and off the field. Our thoughts and prayers are with Claude’s family during this difficult time. The Hall of Fame will forever guard his legacy.”
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Remembering Claude Humphrey – A true legend of the game!
In 1968, the Falcons selected a young DE rookie named Claude Humphrey as their third overall choice. The rest as they say is history. The Tennessee native then spent the next ten years with the Falcons, racking up 99.5 sacks and 11 fumble recoveries. Before retiring in 1981, he spent his final three seasons in the league with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During his stint in the NFL, Humphrey was also a six-time Pro Bowler. The Eagles fans fondly remember his exploits in the 1980 season, where the six-time Pro Bowler helped the Eagles win Super Bowl XV. He finished his illustrious career with 130 total sacks and is currently at No. 24 on the league’s unofficial sack list, as the figures were not recorded until after he retired.
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Longtime NFL player Claude Humphrey, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died at age 77https://t.co/YHVlwJfY65 pic.twitter.com/LH4w5s4PQG
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) December 5, 2021
Speaking on his unlisted records, the Falcons legend reveals that he doesn’t really care about records. “Before they started keeping records of sacks, man, I was getting sacks left and right,” he said in 2014, via ESPN. “The thing about me, I didn’t care so much about getting the sack. A sack was just a tackle back then. Tackling the quarterback or tackling the ball carrier on a running play was all the same.”
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Wow! A true Legend of the GAME!
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