George Saimes

George Saimes
No. 24, 26
PositionSafety
Personal information
Born(1941-09-01)September 1, 1941
Canton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedMarch 8, 2013(2013-03-08) (aged 71)
Canton, Ohio, U.S.
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolLincoln (Canton, Ohio)
CollegeMichigan St. (1959-1962)
NFL draft1963: 6th round, 71st overall pick
AFL draft1963: 6th round, 48th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL/AFL statistics
Interceptions22
Fumble recoveries4
Sacks9.0
Stats at Pro Football Reference

George Thomas Saimes (September 1, 1941 – March 8, 2013) was an American professional football player who was a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League (AFL). He played college football as a fullback for the Michigan State Spartans. He won AFL championships with the Bills in 1964 and 1965.

Saimes was born and died in Canton, Ohio. In 1964, he had a career-high six interceptions and earned the first of his five American Football League All-Star Game appearances. He made The Sporting News All-AFL Team in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Former Pro Football writer and president of the Pro Football Writers Association, Larry Felser, calls Saimes "the finest open-field tackler in the league."

He achieved All-American Football League honors five times, and is a member of the American Football League All-Time Team, the Buffalo Bills' Wall of Fame, and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

Saimes went on to be a professional football scout with the Blesto V Combine, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Washington Redskins, and the Houston Texans. Saimes died in Canton of leukemia on March 8, 2013.[1]

See also

References