Winston Hill, an eight-time All-Star selection and member of the New York Jets’ 1969 Super Bowl winning team, died Tuesday night at the age of 74.
A member of the Jets’ Ring of Honor, Hill passed away in his adopted hometown of Denver, per an announcement from the team.
“I was very sad to hear of the passing of Winston Hill,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “He was our most decorated player with a franchise-record eight all-star game appearances. And as accomplished as he was on the field, he was an even better person whose profound impact on his teammates and those who came in contact with him left an impression for a lifetime. He was the type of man who if you were his friend, you thought you were his best friend. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and many friends of one of the Jets’ all-time greats.”
Hill was initially drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1962 but was released and landed with the Jets in 1963. By his second season, he’d made his first AFL All-Star team. He became an annual fixture beginning in 1967 as he made three straight AFL All-Star teams, and then four straight Pro Bowls after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
Hill protected Joe Namath and helped carve paths for Matt Snell en route to the Jets’ 16-7 victory over the Colts in Super Bowl III. He played in 195 consecutive games with 174 straight starts in his career split between left and right tackle for New York.
