Atlanta Falcons: All-Time Team
By John Buhler
Defensive End: Claude Humphrey (1968-78)
It was long overdue, but the Atlanta Falcons Hall of Fame worthy defensive end Claude Humphrey finally got into Canton. Humphrey was one of the standouts of the 2014 Hall of Fame Class, getting in with another long overdue player in Raiders punter Ray Guy.
Claude Humphrey played in an era of the NFL before sacks and tackles were accurately recorded stats, retiring a year before they became official in 1982. Humphrey was a long-time anchor of the Atlanta Falcons defense and was a signature piece of the 1977’s Grits Blitz.
Humphrey was a six-time Pro Bowl selection (1970-74, 1977) and a two-time All-Pro in 1972-73. During his prime, Claude Humphrey was one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers. While he never made the Playoffs in Atlanta, he did make three straight in Philadelphia from 1979 to 1981, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980.
Getting Claude Humphrey into the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems to have possibly opened the floodgates for long-deserving, but neglected Atlanta Falcons like Mike Kenn, Tommy Nobis, and Morten Andersen. On this All-Time team, I am centering this elite pass rush around Claude Humphrey. Overloading him on the same side as John Abraham would give opposing quarterbacks zero chance to stand upright for an entire game.
Next: Defensive Tackle