Sam Huff, NFL Hall of Famer and longtime West Virginia breeder, dead at 87

Sam Huff, the Hall of Fame professional football player and the founder of the West Virginia Breeders Classics, died on Saturday, according to multiple sources. Huff, who had dementia, was 87.

A native of West Virginia, Huff returned to his home state after a 13-year professional football career and immersed himself in Thoroughbred racing and breeding. He started Sporting Life Farm in nearby Middleburg, Virginia, in 1986, with his partner, Carol Holden, and one year later organized the West Virginia Breeders Classics, modeled on the Maryland Million.

Huff was the chairman of the West Virginia Breeders Classics from its inception until his death.

“Most knew Sam Huff as an NFL Hall of Famer,” read a posting from Charles Town Races on social media. “We knew him as an advocate of racing and co-founder of [the West Virginia Breeders Classics]. … He will forever be woven into the fabric of West Virginia racing.”

Though he raced some of his charges, Huff focused on breeding. His best homebred, which he also owned, was Bursting Forth, who won five stakes races, including three Grade 3 events.

Huff played for both the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. He was inducted into both the NFL Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.