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SFMCELHENNY—

Hugh McElhenny

Retired

Detroit Lions · HB

Hugh McElhenny recorded 144 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 13 rostered seasons with Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers.

▶Best highlights

0.0

tackles/gm

2

playoff games

13

indexed seasons

144

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A provisional five-game introduction to Hugh McElhenny's most significant indexed performances.

Regular Season
1952
D
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
DTX
OCT 5, 1952

San Francisco 49ers vs DTX

Regular Season · Oct 5, 1952

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Divisional Round
1957
DETROITLIONS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
DEC 22, 1957

Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers

Divisional Round · Dec 22, 1957

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1957
INDIANAPOLISCOLTS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
DEC 8, 1957

Indianapolis Colts vs San Francisco 49ers

Regular Season · Dec 8, 1957

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1958
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
GREEN BAYPACKERS
NOV 23, 1958

San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers

Regular Season · Nov 23, 1958

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1958
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
PHILADELPHIAEAGLES
OCT 19, 1958

San Francisco 49ers vs Philadelphia Eagles

Regular Season · Oct 19, 1958

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Hugh McElhenny's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

1946–1957

01
SFMCELHENNY—Hugh McElhenny
SFPERRY—Joe Perry
SFTITTLE—Y.A. Tittle

The Million Dollar Backfield introduces pro football to the West

San Francisco 49ers · The AAFC 49ers

San Francisco joined the AAFC with a fast, integrated roster and carried its star-studded backfield into the NFL.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1958–1978

02
SFMCELHENNY—Hugh McElhenny
SFBRODIE—John Brodie
SFWASHINGTON84Gene Washington

The Shotgun and three NFC title losses

San Francisco 49ers · Searching for the breakthrough

Brodie's passing and Dick Nolan's defense won three straight division titles, but Dallas ended each postseason before a full teardown followed.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1961–1966

03
MINMCELHENNY—Hugh McElhenny
MINTARKENTON10Fran Tarkenton
MINMARSHALL70Jim Marshall

Tarkenton improvises from the beginning

Minnesota Vikings · The expansion Vikings

Tarkenton threw four touchdowns off the bench in the franchise's first game while the line of a future contender began taking shape.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1941–1963

04
NYGMCELHENNY—Hugh McElhenny
NYGGIFFORD—Frank Gifford
NYGHUFF—Sam Huff

Defense and precision reach repeated championships

New York Giants · The title-game fixture

New York reached six title games in eight seasons and won in 1956 while helping make televised pro football a national habit.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1959–1988

05
DETMCELHENNY—Hugh McElhenny
DETLEBEAU—Dick LeBeau
DETBARNEY—Lem Barney

Great defenders and Billy Sims cannot sustain a winner

Detroit Lions · The long wait

Detroit produced elite players but only intermittent contention, and Sims's career-altering injury removed the brightest offensive hope.

Read the era story →

Career accomplishments

13 NFL seasons144 career games13 career passing yards1 career passing touchdowns5,281 career rushing yards38 career rushing touchdowns264 career receptions3,247 career receiving yards20 career receiving touchdownsCollege: Washington2 playoff appearancesFirst appearance: Sep 28, 1952Most recent: Nov 26, 1964

Official awards via ESPN · Pro Bowl and All-Pro counts via NFLverse with selection years cross-checked against Wikipedia · league leads verified from indexed regular-season stats

Team history