March 13 (UPI) -- Former New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams great Del Shofner has died. He was 85.
Shofner's daughter Laurie Shofner Corwin announced his death Thursday on Facebook. Shofner died of natural causes on Wednesday.
"My family and I have suffered a deep loss," Shofner's daughter wrote. "My dad, Del Shofner, passed away [Wednesday] of natural causes. He was surrounded by so much love, he gave so much love. He was a great son, father, husband, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He was a gentleman.
"As a football player, he had success but I never would have known it if other people hadn't told me. He was humble. He is missed tremendously, though I know how happy he is to be reunited in heaven with my mom and so many who have gone before him."
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Shofner was the No. 11 overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft. He was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in five of his 11 NFL seasons. Shofner played for the Rams from 1957 through 1960 before being traded to the Giants. He played for the Giants from 1961 through 1967. He was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Decade Team for the 1960s.
Shofner teamed up with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle while with the Giants to form one of the most prolific passing attacks of the 1960s.
He spent his first NFL season as a defender before switching to wide receiver the next season and leading the league with 1,097 receiving yards. Shofner went on to become the first player in NFL history to have two seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He eclipsed that yardage total for three consecutive seasons from 1961 through 1963.
"The Giants remember the legacy of Del Shofner who passed away this week," the Giants said in a statement. "One of the top receivers of his time, Shofner helped take the Giants to three championship games, had three years with 1,000 receiving yards for New York, and was named to the 1960s all-decade team."
Shofner was born in Center, Texas. He starred in football, basketball, baseball and track at Baylor Universisty before entering the NFL. He was the MVP of the 1957 Sugar Bowl. Shofner was inducted into the Allstar Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame in December.
