New York won the 1956 NFL championship in Mr. Robustelli’s first season. They won five more conference championships during his tenure, in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, and 1963. Mr. Robustelli played on a winning team in 13 of his 14 pro seasons and played in eight NFL championship games.
“Andy was a great leader,’’ fellow Hall of Famer Frank Gifford said. “When he came to us from the Rams, it turned everything around defensively. He fit perfectly into Tom Landry’s defense. Tom Landry was such a leader in putting defense into pro football, and Andy was one of the key components of that.’’
He was selected to seven Pro Bowls and was named first team All-NFL seven times. In 1962, the Maxwell Club selected Mr. Robustelli as the NFL’s top player, an honor then usually given to an offensive player.
“He was far and away above the other defensive ends of his era,’’ Gifford said. “Andy was not all that big, but he was very quick. With Andy and Tom Landry, it was almost scary the anticipation that they had of what was going to be run. He and Tom were very, very close. Whereas Tom was the overall defensive coach, Andy basically ran the defensive line along with the linebackers. He was the leader. Everyone knew that. He was the leader in the clubhouse. He was quiet. But when Andy talked, everyone listened.’’
Mr. Robustelli played in 175 regular-season games in his 14-year career, missing only one because of injury. In his last three years with the Giants, he was a player-coach.
Mr. Robustelli was the Giants’ director of operations from 1974-78. During his tenure, the Giants drafted Hall of Famer Harry Carson, as well as such standout players as George Martin, Gary Jeter, and Gordon King.
Martin said Mr. Robustelli never stopped coaching, even when he was working in the front office.
“Andy was always giving you tips about the game,’’ Martin said. “Here’s your general manager coming out to give you some words of advice. For a young man, particularly a rookie, those were like words from heaven.
“Although our styles were different and the eras in which we played in were completely different, one of the things I know I tried hard to copy was the tenacity that Andy had, because it’s transferable, no matter what era you played in.’’
Born in Stamford, he played football and baseball at Stamford High before enlisting in the US Navy at age 18. During World War II, Mr. Robustelli served on the USS William C. Cole in the Pacific Theater. When he returned from war, Mr. Robustelli attended Arnold College in Bridgeport. He made his family home in Stamford, where he ran a successful travel agency.
Mr. Robustelli’s wife, Jeanne, died in April The couple had nine children, 29 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
