Ronnie Lott: Career retrospective

Ronnie Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He went to Eisenhower High School in California, where he was a standout football player. Upon graduation, Lott committed to the University of Southern California (USC) to play college football for the Trojans. 

Lott played defensive back for the USC Trojans. He helped them win the Rose Bowl in 1978 and 1979. Lott was an All-American in 1980 and finished his college career with 14 interceptions. Fun fact: Ronnie Lott and Marcus Allen were roommates in college.

After an illustrious college career with the Trojans, Lott was a sought-after draft prospect heading into the 1981 NFL Draft. He developed a reputation in college as a tough player with a team-first mentality, things that would follow him into the pros. The San Francisco 49ers drafted Lott with the eighth overall pick.

It didn't take long before Lott made his presence known in the NFL. He was a starter from the get-go. At cornerback, Lott logged 89 tackles and seven interceptions. He took three of those interceptions to the house, an NFL rookie record he shares with Lem Barney and Janoris Jenkins. Lott was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Lawrence Taylor.

The 49ers went 13-3 and plowed through the NFC playoffs en route to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, where they'd face the Cincinnati Bengals. They didn't disappoint. Lott led a defensive unit that intercepted NFL MVP Ken Anderson twice. The 49ers won Super Bowl XVI, 26-21. 

As the years went by, Lott grew into his own. By his second year in the league, he was the best safety in football. Running backs feared him and quarterbacks didn't throw his way. Lott made the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons in the NFL.

The 1984 49ers elevated their level of play (which was already high) and went 15-1 in the regular season. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX in a convincing 38-16 rout. Lott and the rest of the 49ers' defense held NFL MVP Dan Marino and the No. 1 scoring offense to just 16 points.

Ronnie Lott was one of the toughest players the game has ever seen. If he could play in a game, he was going to. He took this to the extreme when he injured his pinky during a game. Instead of treating the injury and letting it heal properly, Lott requested that the team doctors amputate the tip of his pinky so he could continue playing. No NFL player has done anything like this since and probably never will. This legendary display of toughness shows why Lott is one of the greatest defenders. 

Lott switched to safety in 1986. The decision paid off as Lott logged 77 tackles and picked off a league-leading 10 interceptions. It's tough to pick off that many passes in today's league that features every team passing the ball more than 20 times per game. To do it in the 1980s, when NFL offenses were a little more balanced, is just ridiculous. Lott was the definition of a ballhawk.

Lott entered the prime of his career in the late '80s. He went to the Pro Bowl every year from 1986-1991, six years in a row. The voters loved Lott, who was a certified game-wrecker. During this span, Lott nabbed 394 tackles and 36 interceptions.

The 49ers proved they were the best team in football and won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1988 and 1989. They rematched the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII and won again. Lott had four tackles in the game. In Super Bowl XXIV, they crushed the Denver Broncos, 55-10, in one of the most lopsided Super Bowls of all time.

The 49ers were officially a dynasty after winning four Super Bowls in 10 years. They were the best team in the '80s, no doubt. Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana led the West Coast offense, while Ronnie Lott was a force to be reckoned with on a swarming defense. Clearly, this formula for success worked.

After testing the free agent market, Lott signed with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1991. Lott was ready to start the next chapter of his storybook career. At 32 years old, he wanted to prove he could still play. 

In his first year with the Raiders, Lott led the league with eight interceptions. He also made 93 tackles. Lott made his last Pro Bowl nod in 1991. 

After his run in Los Angeles came to an end, Lott hit the free-agent market. This time, he signed with the New York Jets in 1993. Lott continued his dominant ways roaming the field, posting back-to-back 100 tackles seasons with the Jets. The Jets didn't have a winning season during his tenure with the team. 

Lott retired at the age of 35 after the 1994 season came to an end. His tough brand of hard-nosed football meant that he had to sacrifice his body on many plays and the hits started to take their toll. Retiring was the right thing to do. He had nothing left to prove. Lott totaled 1,146 tackles and 63 interceptions in 192 career games.

Lott is tied for first all-time in career postseason interceptions with nine, per Statmuse.

Over the course of his career, Lott had a real knack for the ball. He laid out several players in his 14 professional seasons. Some of his hits were so loud that you could hear them from the nosebleeds. Lott was the last NFL player you wanted to take a hit from, especially in the '80s.

Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2000. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Having his pinky amputated so he could keep playing might be enough to get into the Hall of Fame, as if winning four Super Bowls and going to 10 Pro Bowls wasn't enough for the voters.

Since retiring, Lott has found ways to succeed off the gridiron. He founded HRJ Capital LLC, an investment firm, in 1999 with former teammates Joe Montana and Harris Barton. The firm collapsed in 2009. Lott also owns Toyota and Mercedes-Benz car dealerships. In 2015, he was appointed to the Board of Directors at GSV Capital Corporation, per release. Lott is living proof athletes can have a good second act. 

When 2019 rolled around, the NFL decided to celebrate its 100th anniversary and create an all-century team to honor all the players that have come and gone. Lott made the team as a safety, and Lott is also a member of the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Teams. Make no mistake, Lott is one of the greatest safeties of all time.