Oct. 24 marks a melancholy milestone in NFL history. Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions passed away due to a heart attack in 1971.Â
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Chuck Hughes in the fourth selection out of Texas Western, now UTEP. In 1962, Bum Phillips extended to him an offer of a scholarship to the institution.
Nevertheless, Phillips departed after a season, and the new coach withdrew the offer. Hughes was a substitute.
In one college game, Hughes, one of 16 kids, intercepted 17 passes for 349 yards. The most receptions, yards receiving, as well as all lawns in a game are just a few of the marks he broke at UTEP.
On that dreadful Sunday, the Lions hosted the Chicago Bears. Hughes, a wide receiver who stands 5 feet 11 and weighs 173 pounds, had one catch for 32 yards.
Chuck Hughes Suffered Two Heart Attacks
The majority of people are unaware that Chuck Hughes suffered two heart attacks before he became the only NFL player to pass away while playing on the field.
The first happened seven weeks before his passing, during the Lions’ final preseason game. The Lions ran a frenzy of runs to Hughes late in the game when Detroit was facing the Buffalo Bills.
He received a shot to the side and ribs during one of those plays. He left the field and took a position on the sidelines. But in the locker room after the game, he passed out.
He was transported quickly by ems to Henry Ford Hospital in a chilling premonition of what would transpire at the end of the next month.
Hughes attempted to fall, but Landry tossed Charlie Sanders to tight end. Sanders fumbled the ball close to the goal line for Chicago. The crowd in the bleachers let out a collective sigh.
Sanders was the center of attention when Hughes, who was making his way back to the group, abruptly gripped his chest and fell on the Bears’ 20-yard line.
Hughes jerked wildly on the muddy turf, lying unconscious down in the area of deep left field. Dick Butkus was in front of him.
Some others believed Hughes was fabricating an injury or that Chicago’s vicious middle linebacker had murdered a player.
Butkus, though, recognized there was a problem right away and hurriedly signaled to the sideline. Doctors and trainers rushed outside. Suddenly, a doctor descended from the stands.
Doctors pounded on Chuck Hughes’ chest as even more than 54,000 spectators remained mute.
Doctors didn’t pronounce him dead from a blood clot-induced heart attack for 50 minutes after the game ended.
