:Leo Sanford

{{Short description|American football player (1929–2024)}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Leo Sanford

| image = Leo Sanford - 1953 Bowman.jpg

| caption = Sanford on a 1953 Bowman football card

| number = 73, 51, 55

| position = Linebacker

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|10|4|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|3|22|1929|10|4}}

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 224

| high_school = Fair Park
(Shreveport, Louisiana)

| college = Louisiana Tech

| draftyear = 1951

| draftround = 8

| draftpick = 90

| pastteams =

• Chicago Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1951|1957}})
• Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1958}})

| highlights =

• NFL champion (1958)
• 2× Pro Bowl (1956-1957)
• Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame (1985)
• Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1991)

| statlabel1 = Interceptions

| statvalue1 = 17

| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue2 = 11

| statlabel3 = Total touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 2

| pfr = SanfLe00

}}

Leo Sanford (October 4, 1929 – March 22, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Chicago Cardinals and Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL).{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SanfLe00.htm | title=Leo Sanford | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work=pro-football-reference.com | accessdate=22 August 2014}} He played college football for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Sanford died on March 22, 2024, at the age of 94.[https://lasportshall.com/2024/03/22/legendary-leo-sanford-an-impactful-1990-lshof-inductee-passes-at-age-94/ Legendary Leo Sanford, an impactful 1990 LSHOF inductee, passes at age 94]{{cite news |title=LA Tech legend, NFL champion Leo Sanford dies at 94 |url=https://www.ktbs.com/sports/la-tech-legend-nfl-champion-leo-sanford-dies-at-94/article_66805baa-e89e-11ee-b14a-1b2a030aeb76.html |access-date=22 March 2024 |publisher=KTBS3 |date=22 March 2024}} He was part of the 1958 Baltimore Colts team that won the world championship in the first sudden-death overtime game in the history of professional football.