National Football League

NFL Hall of Famer Robustelli dies at 85

Published May. 31, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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NFL Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli died Tuesday at age 85, the Stamford (Conn.) Advocate reported.

Robustelli's death at Stamford Hospital was confirmed by the Lacerenza Funeral Home, the paper said.

Robustelli played defensive end in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1951-55 and the Giants from 1956-64, and was named to seven Pro Bowls. He won NFL championships with the Rams in 1951 and the Giants in 1956.

"It is a sad day for my family," Giants president and CEO John Mara told the paper. "He's been a great family friend for many years. He's one of the legendary players in the history of the franchise. Most of all he was a man's man. He had an elegance and a presence when he walked into a room. He was like a father figure."

Robustelli was enshrined in the Giants' Ring of Honor last season at New Meadowland Stadium, along with 21 other former players, including Hall of Fame running back Frank Gifford.

"He was a real man," said Gifford, who played with Robustelli in the 1950s. "He was bright, smart. He was like a coach on the field."

Robustelli played in 174 games in his career, missing only one contest in his first year in the league.

The Stamford native won the Bert Bell Award in 1962, at the time given to the NFL's best player, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.