What happened to forgotten Eagles WR Josh Huff?
Former Eagles receiver Josh Huff still holds the record for the longest special teams play in Eagles history. Here's a look at what this Chip Kelly disciple has been up to since leaving Philadelphia.
Flashbacks aren't simply reserved for Fridays. With each passing season, it's always fun to think about the good old days. We remember it like it was yesterday, November 23rd of 2014. Lincoln Financial Field was the venue. The 7-3 Philadelphia Eagles are making a late-season playoff push and are hosting the 2-8 Tennessee Titans. Quarterback Mark Sanchez is set to make his third-straight start for the Eagles filling in for Nick Foles who is out with a broken collarbone.
Tennessee's Ryan Succop boots the opening kickoff deep into Philly's endzone. Rookie Josh Huff hauls it in, and just like that, a routine special teams play turns into a history-making moment.
Huff gets a few blocks, weaves through the Titans' kickoff coverage, and takes one to the house. The 107-yard kickoff return is still the longest special teams play in franchise history. The former Oregon star gets a bad rap from Birds fans, but he has authored a few memorable moments in Eagles green. Think of his tenure as one of the more bizarre in the now-90-year history of our beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Here's a recap of Josh Huff's brief NFL Career.
Philadelphia selected Huff in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He seemed like a good fit for the Eagles who, at that time, were coached by former Oregon HC Chip Kelly as Huff was one of the top receivers in Ducks history.
Kelly was enjoying his second season as an NFL head coach and his first as general manager. It's no secret that he earned a reputation for bringing guys who had played for him at the collegiate level into the Eagles organization. Huff was one of two Ducks the Eagles selected during the 2014 NFL Draft. The other was defensive end Taylor Hart. Huff was also one of two wide receivers that were taken. The other was second-rounder Jordan Matthews.
As rookies, Huff and Matthews were part of a receiver room that included Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Fan-favorite Desean Jackson was released prior to the draft in March. The expectation was Huff would step up, but Matthews was the better player. Josh appeared mainly on special teams as the team's kickoff returner but managed to record eight receptions for 98 yards.
In 2015, Maclin left the Eagles in free agency. That gave Huff another shot at proving he could handle a more significant role, and to his credit, his numbers improved slightly.
He recorded over 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns while appearing in 11 games. The 2016 season would be his final run in Philly. During a win against the Minnesota Vikings, he returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, marking his second career kickoff return TD, but his NFL career took an unfortunate turn.
On November 1st of 2016, Huff was arrested during a traffic stop and was in possession of marijuana and a firearm. He was released two days later and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would appear in three games for them.
He didn't play in 2017. He joined the New Orleans Saints on a reserve/future contract in early 2018 but was suspended by the NFL for the charges filed against him in 2016 and was released by New Orleans just before the start of the 2018 season.
Though his NFL career was over, Huff wanted to keep playing football. He re-emerged during the Alliance of American Football's inaugural (and only) season as a member of the Arizona Hotshots in 2019.
After the AAF ceased operation due to bankruptcy, he joined the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders and recorded nearly 1,000 receiving yards in two seasons. Huff finished his playing career with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. His contract expired in early 2022. He still hasn't officially announced his retirement, so technically he is a free agent, but his dreams of NFL stardom are, in essence, over.
Huff has returned to a more private life. He has moved back to his birth state, Texas. He is married and is focused on raising his two beautiful children. While he is thought about occasionally by Eagles fans and is long forgotten by others, he is still holds a special teams franchise record. In an era where the league has changed the rules of how kickoffs are managed to make them safer, his 107-yard return TD may remain as the longest special teams play in team history for quite a while.
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