Herb Adderley (2022) - Hall of Fame - Michigan State University Athletics

Herb Adderley

Induction:
2022
Class:
1960

Herb Adderley
Football (1958-60)
Philadelphia, Pa.
MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022

HIGHLIGHTS:

1960 First Team All-Big Ten
Led MSU in all-purpose yards and receiving as a junior and senior
1980 inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the first Spartan enshrined
1961 NFL Draft First-Round selection by the Green Bay Packers (No. 12 overall)
Three-time Super Bowl Champion (I, II, VI)
Seven-time All-Pro, including five-time first-team honoree
Won six NFL Championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971)

HALL OF FAME FEATURE: CLASS OF 2022

Herb Adderley, who passed away at the age of 81 in 2020, is considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play in the history of the NFL. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and is one of three former Spartans enshrined in Canton, Ohio, along with Joe DeLamielleure and Morten Andersen. Adderley was also an accomplished Spartan, earning first-team All-Big Ten accolades as a senior in 1960, and will now have his name alongside the all-time greats of Michigan State as a member of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

"First of all, my father loved Michigan State, and loved Coach Duffy Daugherty," said Herb's daughter, Toni. "As a kid growing up, I heard him speak about (Duffy) a lot. Duffy, his high school coach (Charles Martin), and Coach (Vince) Lombardi, they had the most pivotal impact on his life in terms of his career. It means a lot (for Herb to be in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame), especially with us losing him recently, just to know that he's still being honored for his career in football."

A native of Philadelphia, Adderley was an all-state selection at Northeast High School before arriving in East Lansing. He lettered three seasons (1958-60) at MSU under Hall of Fame Coach Duffy Daugherty and was a captain his senior season.

"I think that was really the first time my dad really got out of Philly, and to be able to go to Michigan State, a Big Ten school, and knowing the times and being a Black athlete, to go to a Big Ten school, that's a lot in itself," said Toni. "And it said a lot about one, the coach recruiting him, and also his athletic ability."

Although freshmen were unable to compete on varsity teams, Adderley quickly flashed his potential as a sophomore in 1958, collecting 335 all-purpose yards, including 37 carries for 143 yards and two TDs, six catches for 100 yards, and one interception for 16 yards.

His workload increased his junior campaign, as he led the team with 318 minutes, playing on both sides of the ball. As a precursor to his time as a cornerback in the NFL, Adderley had two interceptions on defense, while ranking first on the team in rushing (93 carries for 419 yards and two TDs), receiving (13 receptions for 265 yards and two TDs) and all-purpose yards (773). During Michigan State's 34-8 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor, Adderley scored the first touchdown of the game and finished with 74 yards on 15 carries against the Wolverines.

Adderley, who also ran indoor track in the winter for the Spartans, entered his senior year as one of three team captains. As a left halfback, he responded by leading the team in all-purpose yards (565) and receiving yards (nine catches for 154 yards and two TDs) for the second consecutive season while ranking second with 261 rushing yards on 68 carries. Adderley also led the team with 118 kick return yards and had a 25-yard interception en route to earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. Michigan State went 2-0-1 against Michigan and 2-0 vs. Notre Dame during Adderley's three years on varsity, with wins over both schools during his senior season in 1960, and he earned an invite to multiple all-star games, including the Hula Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game and the College All-Star Game.

But it was more than just his success on the field that endeared him to Spartans. One of Adderley's close friends on campus was Ernest Green, a member of the Little Rock Nine who attended MSU during the same time as Adderley.

"He (Ernest) and I have talked a lot since (Herb's) passing," said Toni. "(Ernest) mentioned to me, and I think this is a big thing that has stuck with me, especially during the times that we're in right now, that my dad broke down a lot of barriers for the other Black students at Michigan State at that time. So it helped kind of bridge (some of the problems) – even though there were racial problems then as there are now – but just for him being an athlete that everybody loved and with the team winning games, I think that was a big thing that one, Mr. Green talked about to me, as well as my dad."

Following his Spartan career, Adderley was selected in the first round of the 1961 NFL Draft (No. 12 overall) by Green Bay and went on to become one of the most beloved Packers in franchise history. He played nine seasons with the Packers (1961-69) and helped the team win five NFL Championships, including three Super Bowls. He was named to the AP All-Pro First Team five times (1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969) in Green Bay and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection (1963-67). In addition, Adderley was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team (1960s) as a defensive back. He finished his career by spending three seasons with the Cowboys (1970-72), helping Dallas reach two Super Bowls, including a victory over Miami in Super Bowl VI.

In 12 NFL seasons, Adderley had 48 interceptions, which ranked 13th all-time upon his retirement; his 1,048 interception return yards still rank No. 9 in NFL history, including seven for touchdowns (tied for 12th in NFL history). He also was an exceptional kick returner, compiling 3,080 yards on 120 returns in his career, including two for scores.

Adderley is one of only four professional football players in history to win six NFL Championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971) and in addition to being enshrined in Canton, he is also a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. He was named one of the NFL's all-time top 100 players (No. 58) by The Athletic in 2021.

Toni was at her father's Hall of Fame induction ceremony as a child growing up in 1980, and said she is planning a return trip to Canton with family in August.

"He was humble with family, but anybody that wanted to talk about football, he was like a walking encyclopedia for every sport because he loved sports so much," Toni said. "He would always be willing to talk to anybody about his career."

Adderley was named the winner of the 1995 Duffy Daugherty Award, given annually from 1975-2005 to a Spartan alumnus who has distinguished himself in endeavors on and off the field after graduating from MSU.

"For me and my kids, I wish that he was still here – and he knew how much Green Bay Packer fans and Spartan fans loved him – but just to really, really talk to him about his legacy," said Toni. "I think that he would be really excited."