American · Albuquerque, New Mexico · Born 8 May 1959Ronnie Lott was a ferocious, hard-hitting defensive back who anchored the San Francisco 49ers secondary through four Super Bowl championships.
Ronald Mandel Lott was born on 8 May 1959 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and attended Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, before playing college football at USC, earning consensus All-American honours in 1980. The San Francisco 49ers selected Lott eighth overall in the 1981 NFL Draft, and he developed into one of the most feared and versatile defensive backs in NFL history, capable of dominating at both cornerback and safety. Lott delivered one of the most legendary displays of toughness in sports history in 1986, when, faced with a choice between reconstructive surgery that would sideline him for the season or amputating the crushed tip of his broken pinky finger, he chose amputation to return immediately, going on to record a career-best ten interceptions that year. Lott won four Super Bowl championships with the 49ers, and earned ten Pro Bowl selections and eight first-team All-Pro honours across his 14-season career, later playing for the Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, and remains widely regarded as one of the hardest-hitting and most complete defensive backs the game has ever produced.
Hard-hitting Hall of Fame safety for the San Francisco 49ers dynasty
How They Played
Aggressive, hard-hitting safety with exceptional coverage skills and leadership qualities
Lasting Impact
Considered one of the greatest safeties in NFL history, known for his intensity and leadership on championship teams
Career Honours
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000)
- 4x Super Bowl champion
- 10x Pro Bowl
- 8x All-Pro
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 1981–1990 | 143 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 1991–1992 | 32 |
| New York Jets | 1993–1994 | 32 |
American Athletes