Andy Robustelli

Infobox NFL player


DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1925|12|6
Birthplace=Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.
DateOfDeath=
Position=Defensive end
College=Arnold College
DraftedYear=1951
DraftedRound=19
Career Highlights=Y
Retired #s=
Stats=Y
PFR=RobuAn00
DatabaseFootball=ROBUSAND01
Honors=
Records=
Awards=1962 Bert Bell Award
years=1951-1955
1956-1964
teams=Los Angeles Rams
New York Giants
ProBowls=1953, 1955, 1956, 1957,
1958, 1959, 1960
HOF=182
HOFYear=1971

Andrew "Andy" Richard Robustelli (born December 6, 1925 in Stamford, Connecticut) is an NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame player and a prominent businessman. He was drafted out of Arnold College by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1951 NFL Draft.

Career

A two-way end at Arnold College, Robustelli was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the nineteenth round of the 1951 draft and was considered a long shot to make the team. The Rams were impressed with his determination and toughness as a defensive end and he not only made the team, he was an All-Pro in 1953 and 1955. He played for the Rams until he was traded to the New York Giants in 1956.

He spent nine seasons with the Giants, playing for six conference champions and one NFL championship team. Was a starter on the Giants defense from 1956 until his retirement after the 1964 season.

In his first season the Giants won the NFL championship and after that they won the Eastern Division titles in 1958, '59, '61, '62, and '63, losing in the NFL championship game each time, in 1958 and 1959 to the Baltimore Colts, in 1961 and 1962 to the Green Bay Packers and in 1963 to the Chicago Bears.

With the Giants, Robustelli was an All-Pro from 1956 through 1960. He received the 1962 Bert Bell Award as Best Player in the NFL, one of the few defensive players to do so. He played in 174 NFL games, missing only one in his career. He recovered 22 fumbles in his career (the NFL record when he retired) and intercepted two passes, both going for touchdowns.

Although small for a defensive end at 6'0" and 230 pounds, he was exceptionally smart, quick, strong and known as a superb pass rusher.cite web | url = http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=182 | title = Pro Football Hall of Fame Bio | publisher = Pro Football Hall of Fame | accessdate = 2008-01-08]

Awards and honors

He is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. [cite web | url = http://www.niashf.org/index.cfm?ContentID=40&InducteeID=160 | title = National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame Bio | publisher = National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame | date = 2004 | accessdate = 2008-01-08]

He was named Walter Camp Man of the Year in 1988.

Cited references

General references

* [http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/robustelliandy.shtml Andy Robustelli profile] at Hickocksports.com
* [http://www.footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=robustel Professional Football Researchers Association article]