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. He was picked early in the 1981 NFL draft and 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. Many people consider him one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.
Contents
Early Life and High School 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, and basketball, and he also wrestled.
College Football Career
Lott played college football for the University of Southern California from 1977 to 1980. In 1978, as a sophomore, he became a starter and helped his team win a national championship. He recorded three interceptions that season.
In 1979, USC had another great season. Lott was a key player in their strong defense, which included other future NFL stars. The team finished with an 11–0–1 record. In his final year, 1980, Lott led the entire nation in interceptions with eight. He was named a unanimous All-American, showing he was one of the top college players.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated magazine recognized his college achievements. They included him on their All-Century Team for college football.
Professional Football Career
Joining the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers picked Ronnie Lott as the 8th overall player in the 1981 NFL draft. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 203 pounds. From the very start, he showed amazing skill. He quickly became the 49ers' starting cornerback.
In his first season in 1981, Lott had seven interceptions. He helped the 49ers win Super Bowl XVI, their first championship. He also made NFL history by being only the second rookie to return three interceptions for touchdowns. His excellent play made him a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year.
Switching Positions and Super Bowl Wins
In 1985, Lott changed his position from cornerback to safety. After the 1985 season, he had an injury to his left pinky finger. To avoid missing the next season, he chose to have a small part of his finger removed.
Even with the injury, Lott had an amazing 1986 season. He led the league with a career-high 10 interceptions. During his 10 years with the 49ers, Lott helped them win eight division titles. He also helped them win four Super Bowls:
- Super Bowl XVI (1981 season)
- Super Bowl XIX (1984 season)
- Super Bowl XXIII (1988 season)
- Super Bowl XXIV (1989 season)
He is one of only five players who were part of all four of the 49ers' Super Bowl wins in the 1980s.
Later Career and Retirement
After leaving the 49ers, Lott played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991 and 1992. In 1991, he again led the league in interceptions with eight. He then played for the New York Jets in 1993 and 1994.
He briefly returned to the 49ers in 1995, but injuries forced him to retire before the season began. In 2000, Ronnie Lott was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was also named to the NFL's 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, recognizing him as one of the best players ever.
Ronnie Lott's Playing Style
Ronnie Lott was known for his incredible awareness on the field. He could often tell what play was developing before it happened. This allowed him to break up passes and make big plays. He also had a reputation as one of the hardest and most effective tacklers in NFL history.
Over his 14 NFL seasons, Lott had 8.5 sacks and 63 interceptions. He returned these interceptions for 730 yards and scored five touchdowns. He also recovered 17 fumbles. Lott was named All-Pro eight times and played in 10 Pro Bowls.
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 | |
Highlights and Awards
Career Highlights
- 4× Super Bowl champion (winning four Super Bowls)
- 8× First-team All-Pro (named one of the best players in the league eight times)
- 10× Pro Bowl (selected to the Pro Bowl ten times)
- 2× NFL interceptions leader (led the league in interceptions twice)
- NFL combined tackles leader (led the league in total tackles once)
- NFL forced fumbles co-leader (tied for the lead in forced fumbles once)
- Named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (meaning he was one of the best players of both decades)
- Named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team (meaning he was one of the greatest players in NFL history)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (recognized as one of the best rookies in 1981)
- Member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
- His jersey number, 42, was retired by the San Francisco 49ers
NFL Records
- Most interceptions returned for touchdowns as a rookie: 3 (tied)
- Most postseason interceptions: 9
49ers Franchise Records
- Most interceptions in a single season: 10 (tied)
- Most interception return yards: 643
- Most career interceptions: 51
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Ronnie Lott became a football analyst. He worked on Fox NFL Sunday and for the Pac-12 Network. He also serves on the Board of Selectors for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which recognizes people who do great community service.
Ronnie Lott has also been successful in business. He has owned car dealerships and advises other athletes on how to transition into the business world. He is married to Karen and has three children: Hailey, Isaiah, and Chloe.
In 1991, Lott wrote an autobiography called Total Impact. He also inspired the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is given each year to a college football player who shows great character and leadership.
See also
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- The Lott Trophy
