Ronnie Lott

Ronnie Lott

Lott in 2018
No. 42
Position:	Cornerback Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1959-05-08) May 8, 1959 (age 63) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:	Eisenhower (Rialto, California)
College:	USC (1977–1980)
NFL Draft:	1981  / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (1981–1990) Los Angeles Raiders (1991–1992) New York Jets (1993–1994) Kansas City Chiefs (1995)* San Francisco 49ers (1995)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
4× Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV) 8× First-team All-Pro (1981, 1983, 1986–1991) 10× Pro Bowl (1981–1984, 1986–1991) 2× NFL interceptions leader (1986, 1991) NFL forced fumbles co-leader (1982) NFL 1980s All-Decade Team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (1981) San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers No. 42 retired National champion (1978) Consensus All-American (1980) NFL record Most interceptions returned for touchdown in a season by a rookie: 3 (1981; tied with Lem Barney and Janoris Jenkins)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 1,146 Interceptions: 63 Int. return yards: 730 Forced fumbles: 16 Fumble recoveries: 17 Touchdowns: 5
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Ronald Mandel Lott (born May 8, 1959) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.

Lott played college football for the University of Southern California (USC), and was honored as a consensus All-American. A first-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, he played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and International Sports Hall of Fame in 2023, ^[1] and is widely considered to be one of the best of all time at the safety position in NFL history and one of the best players in NFL history. ^{[2] [3]}

College career

Lott played for USC from 1977 to 1980. After sitting out his freshman season, Lott made the starting lineup and recorded 3 interceptions, assisting the team to a 12–1 record and #2 ranking in the nation. The 1978 season went even better. Lott recorded 3 interceptions again as a key member of an elite secondary that included future NFL players Jeff Fisher, Dennis Smith, Joey Browner, and Dennis Johnson. Together with an offense led by future hall of fame NFL players Marcus Allen and Anthony Munoz, and Heisman Trophy winner Charles White, he helped USC finish with a 11–0–1 record and a #1 ranking from the coaches poll, though they finished 2nd under the AP. In his senior season, Lott led the nation in interceptions (8), and return yards (166) earning himself consensus All-American honors as the team went 8–2–1 with a final ranking of #11. ^[4]

Professional career

Lott was selected in the first round (8th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The level of skill demonstrated by the 6-foot, 203-pound standout was instantly recognized, and from the very beginning of training camp he had the job as the 49ers' starting left cornerback. In his rookie season in 1981, he recorded seven interceptions, helped the 49ers to win Super Bowl XVI, and also became only the second rookie in NFL history to return three interceptions for touchdowns. His outstanding play resulted in his finishing second for rookie of the year honors, behind New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

Lott switched to the safety position in 1985. He had the tip of his left pinky finger amputated after the 1985 season when it was crushed while tackling running back Timmy Newsome, and a bone graft surgery would not have allowed him to start the 1986 season. ^[5] An injury sidelined him for the season's last two games in 1986, but he still led the league with a career-best 10 interceptions, while recording 77 tackles, three forced fumbles, and two quarterback sacks. In his 10 years with the 49ers, Lott helped them win eight division titles and four Super Bowls: XVI (1981 season), XIX (1984), XXIII (1988), and XXIV (1989). He is one of five players that were on all four 1980s 49ers Super Bowl wins. The other four are quarterback Joe Montana, linebacker Keena Turner, cornerback Eric Wright, and wide receiver Mike Wilson.

After his career with San Francisco, Lott signed as a free agent in 1991 with the Los Angeles Raiders, and in 1993 with the New York Jets. In 1991, he led the league in interceptions (8) for a second time. Lott signed a free-agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1995, but was injured in the preseason. He returned to the 49ers in 1995, but the injuries he had suffered over the previous four seasons continued to plague him, and he announced his retirement before the season began. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility, and was also named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team in 1994 and the 100th Anniversary Team in 2019.

In his 14 NFL seasons, Lott recorded 8.5 sacks and 63 interceptions, which he returned for 730 yards and five touchdowns. He recovered 17 fumbles, returned them for 43 yards, and gained 113 yards on kickoff returns. Lott also played in 20 postseason games, recording nine interceptions, 89 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and two touchdowns. Additionally, he was named All-Pro eight times, All-NFC six times, and All-AFC once. Beyond statistics, Lott had an uncanny awareness of how a play was developing, which allowed him to break up passes and earn a reputation as one of the hardest and most efficient open-field tacklers in the history of the league.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the Super Bowl
	Led the league
Bold	Career-high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions						Fumbles
		GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	PD	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FF	FR
1981	SF	16	16	89	—	—	0.0	—	7	117	16.7	41T	3	0	2
1982	SF	9	9	68	—	—	0.0	—	2	95	47.5	83T	1	1	0
1983	SF	15	14	108	—	—	1.0	—	4	22	5.5	22	0	0	1
1984	SF	12	11	51	—	—	1.0	—	4	26	6.5	15	0	0	0
1985	SF	16	16	104	—	—	1.5	—	6	68	11.3	25	0	1	2
1986	SF	14	14	77	—	—	2.0	—	10	134	13.4	57T	1	3	0
1987	SF	12	12	55	—	—	0.0	—	5	62	12.4	34	0	0	2
1988	SF	13	12	74	—	—	0.0	—	5	59	11.8	44	0	3	4
1989	SF	11	11	42	—	—	0.0	—	5	34	6.8	28	0	0	0
1990	SF	11	11	53	—	—	0.0	—	3	26	8.6	15	0	0	1
1991	LA	16	16	93	—	—	1.0	—	8	52	6.5	27	0	1	1
1992	LA	16	16	103	—	—	0.0	—	1	0	0.0	0	0	1	1
1993	NYJ	16	16	123	—	—	1.0	—	3	35	11.6	29	0	4	2
1994	NYJ	15	15	106	73	33	1.0	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	1
Career		192	189	1,146	1,113	33	8.5	—	63	730	11.6	83	5	16	17

Broadcasting career

Lott turned to broadcasting following his retirement, serving as an analyst on Fox NFL Sunday in 1996 and 1997, and working on the network's game coverage in 1998. He is currently^{[ when? ]} on a show called PAC-12 Playbook on the Pac-12 Network, an American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network. He also serves on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. ^[6]

Personal life

Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father served a career in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Senior master sergeant. ^[7] He now lives in Cupertino, California, with his wife, Karen, and his children, Hailey, Isaiah, and Chloe. USA Today praised him as "one of the most successful athletes at making the transition to business." Along with former teammates Harris Barton and Joe Montana, Lott was a managing partner and a founder of HRJ Capital. Lott owns both Toyota and Mercedes-Benz car dealerships. He advises professional athletes who are making a transition to the business world. Lott is also the father of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Ryan Nece.

In 1991, Lott, along with Jill Lieber, wrote an autobiography, Total Impact. ^[8] Lott inspired the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is given annually by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. The trophy was first awarded in 2004. ^[9] Lott was the guest of honor at a CYO fundraiser at Sharon Heights Country Club in Menlo Park, CA in May 2012 where he discussed the importance of helping the community. Lott credits the late Coach Ben Parks as a central figure in the development of his vigorous philanthropic work. On February 17, 2015, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of GSV Capital Corporation, a publicly traded investment fund. ^[10]

See also

• Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
• The Lott Trophy

References

1. Dr. Robert M. Goldman. "2023 International Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Full Program) Official Footage" . Retrieved March 17, 2023.
2. Phillips, Roger (November 6, 2003). "49ers announce plan to retire Lott's No. 42". Oakland Tribune . Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
3. Freeman, Mike (January 30, 2000). "Montana And Lott Lead Way Into Hall". New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
4. Ronnie Lott Sports Reference
5. Klemko, Robert (June 17, 2014). "Ronnie Lott's Amputated Pinkie Finger". Sports illustrated . Archived from the original on August 15, 2022.
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 24, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
7. Lieber, Jill (January 23, 1989). "Hitter With Heart". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
8. Lott, Ronnie; Lieber, Jill (1991). Total Impact. p. 301. ISBN   0-385-42055-2.
9. "Home". lottimpacttrophy.com.
10. "GSV Capital Corp". quotes.wsj.com. Retrieved May 8, 2015.

External links

• Ronnie Lott on Facebook
• Ronnie Lott at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Ronnie Lott at the College Football Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from NFL.com  ·  Pro Football Reference