Ronnie Lott facts for kids
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Lott in 2018
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| No. 42 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback Safety |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | May 8, 1959 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
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| 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 | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Ronald Mandel Lott (born May 8, 1959) is a famous American former football player. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, from 1981 to 1994.
Lott played college football for the University of Southern California (USC). He was recognized as an All-American, meaning he was one of the best college players in the country. The 1981 NFL draft picked him in the first round. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs. Ronnie Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He is considered one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Ronald Mandel Lott was born on May 8, 1959, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He grew up in Rialto, California, and went to Eisenhower High School. While in high school, Ronnie was a talented athlete. He played football, baseball, basketball, and even wrestled.
College Football Career
Lott played college football for the University of Southern California from 1977 to 1980. In 1977, he played a little as a freshman. By 1978, he became a starter. That year, he made 3 interceptions, helping his team achieve a 12–1 record. They even shared the national championship title with Alabama.
The 1979 season was also very successful for USC. Lott again had 3 interceptions. He was a key part of a strong defense that included future NFL players. The team finished with an 11–0–1 record and was ranked #2 in the country. In his final year, 1980, Lott led the nation with 8 interceptions. He also had 166 return yards. For his amazing performance, he was named a unanimous All-American.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated magazine included him on their All-Century Team for college football. This team honored the best college football players of the past 100 years.
Ronnie Lott's NFL Journey
Playing for the San Francisco 49ers
The 1981 NFL draft selected Ronnie Lott in the first round as the 8th overall pick. He joined the San Francisco 49ers. At 6 feet tall and 203 pounds, Lott quickly showed his skill. He immediately became the 49ers' starting left cornerback.
In his first season, 1981, he had seven interceptions. He also helped the 49ers win Super Bowl XVI. Lott made history by becoming only the second rookie in NFL history to return three interceptions for touchdowns. His excellent play earned him second place for the National Football League Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1985, Lott changed his position to safety. After the 1985 season, he had a serious finger injury. The tip of his left pinky finger was crushed while tackling a player. To avoid missing the next season, he chose to have the tip of his finger amputated. Years later, he said he regretted this decision.
Even with injuries, Lott continued to excel. In 1986, he led the league with a career-best 10 interceptions. He also had 77 tackles. During his 10 years with the 49ers, Lott helped them win eight division titles. They also won four Super Bowls:
- XVI (1981 season)
- XIX (1984 season)
- XXIII (1988 season)
- XXIV (1989 season)
He is one of only five players who were on all four of the 49ers' Super Bowl-winning teams in the 1980s.
Time with the Los Angeles Raiders
After his successful time with San Francisco, Lott signed with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991. In his first year with the Raiders, he again led the league in interceptions with 8. This was the second time in his career he achieved this.
Playing for the New York Jets
Lott then signed with the New York Jets in 1993. He played two seasons for the Jets.
Returning to the San Francisco 49ers
Lott returned to the 49ers in 1995. However, injuries from his long career continued to bother him. He decided to retire before the season began.
In 2000, Ronnie Lott was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his very first year of eligibility. He was also named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. These teams honor the best players in NFL history.
Ronnie Lott's Playing Style
During his 14 seasons in the NFL, Ronnie Lott had 8.5 quarterback sacks and 63 interceptions. He returned these interceptions for a total of 730 yards and five touchdowns. He also recovered 17 fumbles.
Lott played in 20 postseason games, where he had nine interceptions and 89 tackles. He was named an All-Pro player eight times. This means he was recognized as one of the best players in the league. Lott was known for his amazing ability to understand how plays would unfold. This helped him break up passes and make strong tackles in the open field. He was known as one of the hardest and most effective tacklers in football history.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career-high |
Regular Season Performance
| 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 | |
Awards and Achievements
Ronnie Lott achieved many great things during his football career:
- He won the Super Bowl four times.
- He was named First-team All-Pro eight times, showing he was one of the best players in the league.
- He was selected for the Pro Bowl 10 times, which is an all-star game for the best players.
- He led the NFL in interceptions twice (in 1986 and 1991).
- He was part of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. These teams honor the best players from those decades.
- He was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
- The San Francisco 49ers retired his jersey number, 42, meaning no other player on the team can wear it.
NFL Records Held by Lott
- Most interceptions returned for touchdowns by a rookie in a single season (3, tied).
- Most postseason interceptions (9).
San Francisco 49ers Team Records
- Most interceptions in a single season (10, tied).
- Most interception return yards (643).
- Most career interceptions (51).
Life After Football: Broadcasting and Business
After retiring from playing football, Lott became a sports analyst. He worked on Fox NFL Sunday in 1996 and 1997. He also covered games for the network in 1998. As of 2025, he is on a show called PAC-12 Playbook on the Pac-12 Network, which is a sports television channel.
Ronnie Lott is also involved in business. He was a founder and managing partner of HRJ Capital, an investment company. He also owns Toyota and Hyundai car dealerships. He uses his experience to advise other professional athletes on how to transition into the business world after their sports careers.
Personal Life and Community Work
Ronnie Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father served a long career in the United States Air Force. Today, Lott lives in Cupertino, California, with his wife, Karen, and their children, Hailey, Isaiah, and Chloe. USA Today praised him for being very successful in moving from sports to business.
Lott is also known for his charity work. He wrote an autobiography called Total Impact in 1991. He also inspired the Lott IMPACT Trophy. This award is given every year to a college football player who shows great character and leadership. Lott believes in helping the community. He credits his former coach, Ben Parks, for inspiring his strong commitment to charity.
See also
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- The Lott Trophy
