Mel Blount turns 76: Five fast facts on legendary Steelers cornerback’s birthday

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You can’t talk about the Steelers’ 1970s dynasty without mentioning Mel Blount, a first-ballot Hall of Famer who played an integral role in each of Pittsburgh’s four championships from 1974-79. Blount was so dominant he inspired a rule that forever changed the NFL. 

When Blount began what turned into a Hall of Fame career over 50 years ago, he was unlike any other cornerback who proceeded him. The prototype for a perfect NFL cornerback, Blount had the size (6-foot-3 and 205 pounds), speed (he ran a low 4.4 in the 40-yard dash) and natural athletic skills to dominate opposing receivers. Blount parlayed his physical skills into a decorated career that in 2019 included his inclusion on the NFL 100 All-Time Team. 

In celebration of his 76th birthday (Blount was born on April 10, 1948), here are five fast facts about the Steelers legend. 

1. The ‘Mel Blount Rule’ 

Blount and the Steelers had already begun their dynasty prior to the 1978 season after winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 1974-75. But it appeared that the NFL Competition Committee was intent on stopping the Steelers from further league domination entering the ’78 season. 

That offseason, the Committee, which was led back then by then-Dolphins coach Don Shula, instituted several rules that favored offenses while promoting higher-scoring contests. One of the changes was a rule that prohibited the contact between defensive backs and receivers. From its inception, that rule has been known in history as the “Mel Blount Rule.” And while he really didn’t like it at first, Blount has grown to enjoy that part of his playing legacy. 

“When that happened, to me, I took it as an insult,” Blount recalled during a 2021 interview with the All Things Covered Podcast with Patrick Peterson & Bryant McFadden. “As if, ‘OK, so you’re putting this rule in because you think that’s the only way I can play and that it’s going to slow me down.’…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mel-blount-turns-76-five-fast-facts-on-legendary-steelers-cornerbacks-birthday/

Author : Bryan DeArdo

Publish date : 2024-04-10 15:20:16

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