The most feared hitter in NFL history — had the tip of a finger amputated rather than miss the 1985 season, and won four Super Bowls as the cornerstone of the San Francisco 49ers dynasty.
Ronnie Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1959. The 49ers selected him eighth overall in 1981. He won four Super Bowls with San Francisco. In 1985 he chose to have the tip of his left pinky finger amputated rather than undergo surgery that would have caused him to miss games — one of the most celebrated individual decisions in NFL history. His hitting ability — some of the most violent legal hits in NFL history — combined with elite coverage skills made him the finest safety of his era.
Best Known For
Super Bowl Champion 4x (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
Honours & Achievements
Career Honours
- Super Bowl Champion 4x (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
- Defensive Player of the Year 1987
- Pro Bowl 10x
- All-Pro 8x
- Hall of Fame 2000
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Career Journey
Timeline
1959
👶 Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico
1995
🏁 Retired from professional sport
🏟️ San Francisco 49ers
🏟️ Los Angeles Raiders
🏆 Super Bowl Champion 4x (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
🏆 Defensive Player of the Year 1987
🏆 Pro Bowl 10x
🏆 All-Pro 8x
🏆 Hall of Fame 2000
🏆 NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team