Age: 26
2nd
season in pro football & with Giants
College: Marquette
Height: 6’1” Weight: 198
Prelude:
Cuff starred
in track as well as football in college and was part of the Marquette team that
went 7-1 in 1936 before losing to TCU in the first Cotton Bowl. He was chosen
by the Giants in the fourth round of the 1937 NFL draft and was primarily a
backup in his rookie season, although he had a two-touchdown performance
against Brooklyn. He also kicked the first two field goals of his career, the
longest from 42 yards.
1938 Season Summary
Appeared in all
11 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Kicking
Field goals –
5 [1, tied with Ralph Kercheval]
Most field
goals, game – 2 vs. Pittsburgh 10/3
Field goal
attempts – 9 [2, tied with Jack Manders & Clarke Hinkle]
Field goal
percentage – 55.6 [1]
PATs – 18 [1]
PAT attempts
– 20 [1]
Longest field
goal – 23 yards vs. Philadelphia 9/25
Rushing
Attempts – 18
Yards – 38
Yards per
attempt – 2.1
TDs – 0
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 8
Yards – 114
Yards per
catch – 14.3
TDs – 1 [16,
tied with many others]
Scoring
TDs – 2
Field Goals –
5
PATs – 18
Points – 45 [4]
Postseason: 1
G (NFL Championship vs. Green Bay)
Field goals –
1
Field goal
attempts – 2
PATs – 2
PAT attempts
– 2
Longest field
goal – 14 yards
Rushing
attempts – 2
Rushing yards
– -12
Average gain
rushing – -6.0
Rushing TDs –
0
Kickoff
returns – 1
Kickoff
return yards – 27
Kickoff
return TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 1
Awards & Honors:
2nd
team All-NFL: INS
Pro All-Star
Game
Giants went 8-2-1
to finish first in the NFL Eastern Division. Won NFL Championship over Green
Bay Packers (23-17).
Aftermath:
The versatile
Cuff played another seven seasons for the Giants and saw action at wingback,
fullback, and halfback and typically handled the placekicking. He twice led the
NFL in field goals while with New York, with a high of seven in 1939. His best
rushing season was in 1943, when he gained 523 yards on 80 carries (6.5 avg.)
and his best for pass receiving was in 1941, with 19 catches for 317 yards
(16.7 avg.), the same year in which he intercepted four passes for a
league-leading 152 yards. Having scored 305 points for the Giants, Cuff finished
his career with the Cardinals in 1946 and Green Bay in ’47, where he led the
league one last time with seven field goals. Overall, Cuff rushed for 1851
yards on 344 attempts (5.4 avg.) and 7 TDs, caught 106 passes for 1559 yards
(14.7 avg.) and 13 touchdowns, intercepted 13 passes, one of which he returned
for a score, and averaged 12.1 yards on 37 punt returns and 25.1 yards
returning 14 kickoffs. He kicked 43 field goals out of 98 attempts (43.9 %) and
was successful on 156 of 162 extra points for a total of 411 points. Cuff was
named to three Pro/NFL All-Star Games. His #14 was retired by the Giants (who
un-retired it for Y.A. Tittle but was later retired again to honor both
players).
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
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