One of the greatest players in Nebraska football history has passed away at the age of 65. Starring for the Cornhuskers from 1972-1974, David Humm played under all-time great head coaches Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. He earned All-American honors with the team in 1974 and was part of the program’s 1971 National Championship team.
A native of Las Vegas, Humm was then selected in the fifth-round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He started just one game in 10 NFL seasons, but did earn two Super Bowl titles as a member of the team.
In announcing the passing of one of their former quarterbacks, the Raiders had this to say.
The entire Raiders Family is deeply saddened to learn of David Humm's passing.
David was a true Raider in every sense and the heart of the #RaiderNation goes out to his family at this time.#OnceARaiderAlwaysARaider pic.twitter.com/S0pHICQmqf
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) March 28, 2018
Once a Raider, always a Raider. The late-great Al Davis once told Humm that he had a job for life following his football playing career. For a while, Humm took him up on that offer — acting as the radio voice of the team. Once Humm was forced into a wheelchair, he called Davis up to indicate that he’d likely have to retire from broadcasting. Davis firmly turned down said resignation, only to have then Raiders CEO Amy Trask call Humm up on the phone.
“Raiders Chief Executive Officer “Amy Trask called me right after he hung up on me, and she says, ‘You know, you have to die to leave,’” Humm said years back, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “She said, ‘Find a way,’ and she hung up on me.’”
Humm’s passing comes 30 years after he was initially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1988 at age 35, one year after his retirement from the NFL.