50 greatest NFL players of all-time
player. 55. . Cornerback. 1970-83. Mel Blount. 44
Easily one of the best cornerbacks to ever step foot on the gridiron, Mel Blount was a key ingredient in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ reign over the 1970s. On a defense that consisted of some of the meanest players the NFL has ever known, Blount may have been tops in that category.
Known for his physical, aggressive play, the Southern college product and 1970 third-round pick made life miserable for opposing receivers. One of the early adopters of bump-and-run coverage, he simply didn’t allow pass-catchers to get away from him. His brand of defense eventually led to many of the pesky pass-interference rules we hem and haw about every Sunday.
Surprisingly, Blount was only selected to five Pro Bowls and six All-Pro teams during his 14 years in Pittsburgh. With that said, he did win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 1975. That season, he intercepted 11 passes and helped the 12-2 Steelers to a Super Bowl victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Blount currently sits at 13th all-time on the NFL’s career interceptions list with 57 picks. He was an impact player from the moment he arrived in Pittsburgh. Blount spent his entire 14 years in the league proving to the rest of us that he was one of the very best when it came to locking down receivers.