Dan Sandifer

Dan Sandifer
Position(s)
Defensive back
Halfback
Punt returner
Kick returner
Jersey #(s)
20, 81, 31,
21, 23
Born March 1, 1927(1927-03-01)
Shreveport, Louisiana
Died August 15, 1987(1987-08-15) (aged 60)
Shreveport, Louisiana
Career information
Year(s) 19481953
NFL Draft 1948 / Round: 3 / Pick: 28
College Louisiana State
Professional teams
Career stats
Interceptions 23
Touchdowns 9
Kick return yards 1,367
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards
  • N/A

Daniel Padgett Sandifer (March 1, 1927 – August 15, 1987) was an American football defensive back who played with six National Football League teams from 1948 to 1953. Because of WWII, he was one of the few college football players to play in two College All-Star Games.

Sandifer was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 1948 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State, and that same season he led the NFL with a then record 13 interceptions. Dick "Night Train" Lane's 14 interceptions in a season is the only time Sandifer's record was surpassed in NFL history. Sandifer's 13 interceptions remains the All-Time single season interception record for the Washington Redskins. He also is included in a group of NFL players who hold the record for most interceptions in a game, four, Washington vs. Boston, Oct. 31, 1948 and in that same game returned two interceptions for touchdowns, which has never been surpassed. Sandifer was an architect and a ranked amateur tennis player after his NFL days. He was one of the architects of the Louisiana State University Student Union Building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He once played in a tennis exhibition match in Houston, Texas with future president, George H. W. Bush and professionals Tony Roche and John Newcombe. He died of heart disease in 1987.