Tiger great Claude Humphrey was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently. Humphrey, along with Ray Guy, earned the 80% positive vote to earn election. Humphrey and Guy were joined by Derrick Brooks, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan and Aeneas Williams as the Class of 2014. The Enshrinement Ceremony took place on Aug. 2 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Humphrey was an All-American defensive tackle at TSU who went on to be one of the greatest pass rushers in the National Football League. Humphrey played for the Tigers from 1964 to 1967. He was initially an Offensive Tackle, but was switched to Defensive End in his freshman year, where he became a three-time All-American.
During his senior season, Humphrey played in four college all-star games: the Senior Bowl, the Blue-Gray Game, the Coaches All-American Game and the College All-Star game.
Humphrey ended his collegiate career as the all-time leader in sacks at TSU with 39. Currently, he is tied for second behind Lamar Carter along with fellow TSU legend and NFL Hall of Famer Richard Dent.
He was selected in the first round of the 1968 NFL Draft going third overall to the Atlanta Falcons. During his rookie season in Atlanta, he was name AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Humphrey played 13 seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons (1968-74, 76-77) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1979-81). While with Atlanta, he was named All-NFL or All-Pro eight times and was selected to the Pro Bowl on six different occasions.
During the 1980 season with the Eagles, Humphrey totaled a team-high 14.5 sacks on the way to an NFC Championship and an appearance in Super Bowl XV.
Even though the sack didn’t become an official NFL statistic until after he retired, Humphrey is still credited with 122 career sacks, including holding the all-time career sacks mark for the Falcons with 94.5
Humphrey is in the Tennessee State University Hall of Fame, the Georgia Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Falcons Hall of Fame, and his high schools Hall of Fame.
Humphrey’s college and high school both retired his jersey.
